Put Down Your Phone
Sleep Digital Detox Wellness RitualsHere is what is actually happening in your body when you scroll before sleep, and what to do instead.
Does Screen Time Really Affect Sleep?
Yes — and significantly. Blue light emitted by phones, tablets, and computer screens suppresses melatonin production by up to 50% and delays its release by up to 90 minutes. Melatonin is the hormone that signals to your body and brain that it is time to sleep.
The amount by which evening screen use can suppress melatonin production — the hormone that tells your brain it is time to sleep.
When screen use continues into the evening, your nervous system receives repeated signals that it is still daytime. The result: difficulty falling asleep, reduced deep sleep, and waking that feels inadequate regardless of how many hours you spent in bed.
The Doomscrolling Problem
Beyond blue light, the content we consume before bed matters enormously. Doomscrolling passively scrolling through negative or stimulating content in the dark activates the amygdala (the brain's stress response centre) and elevates cortisol at precisely the moment it should be declining.
The 5-Step Evening Digital Detox
Set a Screen Curfew
Commit to switching off all screens 60–90 minutes before your intended sleep time. This single change has been shown to improve sleep onset, reduce night waking, and increase the proportion of deep sleep.
Move Your Phone Out of the Bedroom
Even with notifications off, the presence of a phone in the bedroom has been shown to increase alertness and fragment sleep. Charge it in another room. Use a traditional alarm clock if needed.
Replace With a Slow Evening Ritual
Fill the screen-free time with practices that activate the parasympathetic nervous system: reading a physical book, taking a warm bath, gentle yoga or stretching, journalling, or simply sitting in low light with herbal tea and our Sleep Atmosphere Mist.
Use Warm Lighting After Sunset
Standard white and cool-toned LED lighting mimics daylight and suppresses melatonin. After sunset, switch to warm, dim lighting candles, salt lamps, or warm-spectrum bulbs to support your natural circadian rhythm.
Try a Weekend Digital Detox
Once a month, a full 24 hours away from screens significantly resets the nervous system, restores attention span, and creates the inner quiet that constant connectivity quietly erodes.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long before bed should I stop using my phone?
At minimum, 30 minutes before bed. Ideally 60–90 minutes. The longer your phone-free window before sleep, the more effective your melatonin production will be — and the more easily you will transition into deep sleep.
Do blue light glasses help sleep?
Blue light glasses can reduce eye strain but are not a substitute for reducing screen time before bed. They filter some blue light but do not address the cognitive stimulation and cortisol elevation caused by engaging content.
What should I do instead of scrolling before bed?
Reading a physical book, gentle yoga or stretching, journalling, a warm bath, breathing exercises, or simply resting in low light with soothing scent are all effective alternatives that actively support sleep.
Can aromatherapy help with the evening wind-down?
Yes. Lavender and chamomile aromatherapy during your screen-free window actively supports parasympathetic activation and melatonin production. Our Lavender Atmosphere Mist is designed exactly for this misting your room, your pillow, or your evening ritual space.
Build Your Screen-Free Evening Ritual
Our Lavender Atmosphere Mist, Eye Pillows and Wheat Bags are the perfect companions for your phone-free wind-down — creating a sensory signal that it is time to rest.
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