Screens are sabotaging your sleep (and health!)

A new study is making waves—and let me tell you, it confirms what I’ve been warning about for years…

That screen time before bed is WRECKING your sleep.

In fact, according to researchers, just one hour increases your insomnia risk by a whopping 59 percent.

And yet, our culture has fully normalized the habit of staring into glowing rectangles into the wee hours of the morning.

More screens, more problems

This isn’t a minor inconvenience—it’s a full-blown health crisis.

See, poor sleep isn’t just about feeling groggy the next morning—it’s tied to heart disease, obesity, depression, a compromised immune system, and more.

In fact, this new study, published in Frontiers in Psychiatry, analyzed data from over 45,000 young adults. Ultimately, researchers discovered that the more time you spend on your phone, tablet, or laptop while in bed, the worse your sleep becomes.

And yes, every type of screen use was harmful—social media, gaming, television—it didn’t matter. The detrimental effect was consistent across the board: more screens, more insomnia.

More specifically, just one hour of screen time cut sleep duration by nearly 30 minutes. And that’s just from what people reported. So, just imagine the real numbers!

Researchers called this effect “time displacement”—meaning screen use pushes back your bedtime. But that’s only part of the problem.

Screens bombard your brain with blue light, hijack your circadian rhythm, and spike dopamine levels—right when your body is trying to wind down. In other words, they basically rewire your brain to depend on stimulation at the exact moment it needs rest.

Build better boundaries

Of course, the scientists behind the study offered a few suggestions:

• Reduce screen time in bed
• Turn off notifications
• Stop scrolling 30 to 60 minutes before sleep

And yes, that’s a solid start.

But let me be blunt: build better boundaries. If you’re serious about your health, banish all screens from the bedroom.

Your bedroom should be for two things: sleep and intimacy. That’s it—not replying to emails, not watching Netflix, not doom-scrolling.

We live in a world addicted to digital distraction. But that addiction comes at a steep cost…

We’ve traded deep, restorative sleep for mindless stimulation.

So, if you want to improve your sleep—and your health? Start with this simple, powerful rule: No. Screens. In. Bed.

And then, check out my Perfect Sleep Protocol to ensure you get the sleep your body desperately needs, every single night.

Source:

“Screen Time in Bed Raises Insomnia Risk by 59% Per Hour.” StudyFinds, 04/01/25. (studyfinds.org/screen-time-bed-insomnia-risk/)