Set a screen curfew
Turn off phones, laptops and TV at least 30 minutes before bed, and longer if you can.
- How often
- Daily
- Time
- 30–60 min before bed
- Recommended for
- 20 factors
How to do it
- Set a nightly alarm that marks your screen cutoff, at least 30 minutes before bed.
- Charge your phone outside the bedroom, or across the room.
- Spend the last hour doing something quiet, such as reading a paper book, stretching or a bath.
- Dim the lights in the evening. Use a dim red night light if you need one.
- Get bright light during the day to help keep your body clock steady.
Why it helps
Bright light, especially the blue light from screens, tells your brain it is daytime and delays melatonin, the hormone that helps you fall asleep. Scrolling also keeps your mind busy at the time it should be winding down.
Recommended for
Assembly line worker
The same motions, hundreds of times an hour, at the pace of the line.
habitBinge-watching on the couch
One more episode, slumped into the cushions, snack within reach.
habitCollege student
Late nights, long study sessions, dining-hall meals and a new social world.
occupationContent creator
Streaming, editing and gaming for hours, often late into the night.
occupationFlight attendant
On your feet in a moving cabin, across time zones, lifting bags overhead.
occupationGraphic designer
Mouse, stylus and big screens, often against a deadline.
habitHeavy smartphone use
Head down, thumbs busy, screen inches from your face for hours a day.
habitHigh-stress periods
Deadlines, money worries, a move, a loss, or all of them at once.
occupationJanitor
Mopping, lifting and scrubbing, often on night shifts, with strong chemicals.
habitNight shift work
Awake when your body expects to sleep, asleep when the world is loud.
occupationNurse
Twelve-hour shifts on your feet, lifting, turning and rarely sitting down.
habitOngoing sleep loss
Night feeds, early alarms or a busy mind, and never quite enough sleep.
occupationPhysician
Long, high-stakes days with little time to eat, move or sleep.
occupationPolice officer
Long shifts in a patrol car, heavy gear and moments of high stress.
hobbyReading
Hours curled up with a book or e-reader, head bent and eyes close.
occupationRemote worker
Laptop on the kitchen table, no commute, no reason to leave the house.
occupationRetail worker
On your feet all shift, stocking shelves and helping customers.
occupationStay-at-home parent
Lifting, carrying and caring around the clock, with little time for yourself.
hobbyVideo gaming
Long sessions seated, thumbs flying, eyes locked on a bright screen.
habitWorking from the couch or bed
Laptop on your lap, pillows behind your back, no commute and no desk.