Late-Night Scrolling Steals Your Sleep: How to Sleep Better (Without Ditching Your Phone)
We’ve all done it—curled up in bed, endlessly swiping through social media, watching “just one more” video, or replying to messages before finally turning in. But that seemingly harmless habit might be robbing you of precious sleep.
A new study published in Frontiers journal reveals that spending just one hour on your phone in bed can increase insomnia risk by 63% and cut sleep time by 24 minutes on average. Researchers from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health surveyed 45,202 young adults (18-28) about their bedtime screen habits and sleep quality.
What’s Worse—Social Media or Just Screens?
Participants reported their pre-sleep activities, from scrolling Instagram and binge-watching shows to gaming, reading, or listening to podcasts. The findings? Every extra hour of screen time reduced sleep and spiked insomnia risk—regardless of content.
“While many blame social media, our study shows any screen use disrupts sleep,” said lead researcher Dr. Gunnhild Johnsen Hjetland. The likely culprit? Time displacement—screens eat into sleep time. However, the study couldn’t confirm if screens cause insomnia or if insomniacs use screens more.
Is Blue Light Really the Problem?
Conventional wisdom says blue light from phones suppresses melatonin, the sleep hormone. But a recent Nature study found any bright light—blue or yellow—before bed can be equally disruptive.
“Our brains still follow ancient sun-based rhythms,” explains clinical psychologist Dr. Leah Kaylor. “Artificial light at night confuses them.”
How to Sleep Better (Without Ditching Your Phone)
If quitting screens cold turkey feels impossible, try these tweaks:
- Set a “screen curfew” 30–60 mins before bed.
- Switch to night mode if you must use your phone.
- Charge your phone outside the bedroom—use an old-school alarm clock.
- Dim lights an hour before sleep to boost melatonin.
- If you can’t sleep, get up—don’t lie in bed scrolling.
Small changes can lead to bigger, better sleep—no phone detox required.
