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How can I put down my phone and go to sleep?

203 Answers
Last Updated: 06/01/2022 at 3:04am
How can I put down my phone and go to sleep?
1 Tip to Feel Better
United States
Moderated by

Tracy-Kate Teleke, PsyD, M.A., LMFT

Marriage & Family Therapist

I assist adults and couples in CA experiencing relationship challenges and interpersonal struggles including anxiety, depression, and a myriad of other life challenges.

Top Rated Answers
Anonymous
May 17th, 2019 10:03pm
Sleep is very important for your health. Putting your phone down is a great step to take. Ultimately you have to make the decision of what to do. Putting your phone in a different room, or out of sight is a possibility. It all depends on the situation you are in. Also putting do not disturb on helps you not know that someone on the other side of the phone is active. Sometimes in settings you can set a bedtime lock on your phone(for iPhones atleast). That could help. It all depends on what you would like to do and your situation. I am proud of you for taking this step. I wish you the best.
Avyiris
May 22nd, 2019 6:11am
This is something I often struggle with. I find that if I write down every thought in my head in my notes on my phone (to sort of "empty it out" at the end of the day), I can calm down a bit and relax. After doing this and checking my notifications one last time, I can set down the phone, practice some deep breathing, and try to sleep. It helps to incorporate this into a bed time routine as well. Remember that you can always check your phone after you wake up. It will be there for you still.
supernobody
June 22nd, 2019 3:27am
i like to use the "bedtime" feature two hours before i go to sleep (you can also make an event or use a tracker app). my phone lets me know i'm cutting into my sleep time, and shows me how much sleep time i wasted the next morning. by establishing a routine and setting a specific goal for when and how long i want to sleep, i'm less likely to let activities and exciting things get in the way of my goal than if i have no idea what i want to do and how close i am to doing it. you are already making sleep a priority just by thinking of this, so you're well on your way to making a physical change.
Anonymous
June 27th, 2019 9:20pm
Just put it down and leave it there. If you need, maybe in another room to charge overnight, but just leave it. Also turn notifications off. There's no reason to check it all the time. I'm not sure how someone thought it would be possible to make a 100 word essay about this, but here we go. Just leave it away and dot think about it. If you have some severe issues leaving it, turn it off and leave it to someone else who won't give it to you back. Just like why do you have to look at it all the time?
CareBear012303
July 24th, 2019 9:05pm
On some phones, there is a bedtime setting where it shuts off at a certain time and doesn't come back on until a certain time. Or try putting the phone in a different room. When you put the phone on the opposite end of the house, the temptation to get on your phone is gone. If you're going to do that though, I would say do it about an hour before you go to bed. The blue light in your phone keeps your brain awake so when you stay up on your phone until early hours of the morning and then wonder why you cant fall asleep, it's because your brain is still activated.
laylajewelz
August 21st, 2019 2:16pm
Maybe set a cut off time for screen activity and at that time switch over to nature sounds that promote sleep, relaxation/meditation, sort of like a cool down period to reflect on your day and set your intentions for the next day. If you close your day with a still mind you should be able to wake up similarly cleared. Alsoa bed time routine could help. A shower, skin care routine, a certain amount of water or herbal tea and stretching before bed can do wonders to recenter you and its very simple. It may sound slike a tone but once you start the routine it can take maybe a half hour but the benefits are priceless.
blueface00
August 25th, 2019 8:56am
I used to deal with this too and I used to just power it off because phone dings and notifications would make me feel like I had to check it and if I didn’t I would have missed out on something important but texts and email can always wait if they are as important as they may seem. at the end of the day a phone is just something used to distract you from the true beauty of the outdoors and yes it is also useful to talk to people and make calls but back in the day they only had letters that would take days and probably even weeks to reach you so if you are trying to go to bed and your hear a ding just tell yourself that it’s not that important and it can wait till the morning.
WaterSoul
August 30th, 2019 6:33am
Try doing some gentle yoga before going to sleep to help your body relax. Or try reading a book to help drift you into a calm, sleep state. Or try writing all of your thoughts from the day down into a journal so your head can be clear of any worries or thoughts and you will be ready for sleep. Try deep breathing or guided meditation, or relaxing music to listen to while you are trying to fall asleep. Try rain or crackling fire, or even wind or just soothing, gentle music will do the trick! You'll soon be off to sleep!
Anonymous
August 31st, 2019 2:17pm
One thing to do is to turn on the setting that doesn’t allow you to go on your phone at a certain time. Keep your phone away from you when you do go to sleep, to resist the urge to go on it again. Reading for 10 minutes before bed can help you relax. I suggest getting help from someone you live with. You can tell them to take your phone away from you and make sure you just go to bed. I feel the same way sometimes, but I just remind myself of how tired I will be the next day and how important sleep is.
Anonymous
September 11th, 2019 3:07am
You need to get a strict sleeping schedule. There's many apps for this and IOS even has a built-in one. Sleep is vital to life, mental health and physical health. It is very important. You can begin with setting what time to go to bed and wake up. This needs to be consistent! It is also important not to stay in your bed if you're doing anything other than sleep. Do not watch TV in bed, play on your phone, laptop or even relax. Our bodies then associate our beds with things other than sleep and this can cause insomnia.
BigFriendlyJosh
September 11th, 2019 7:01am
I struggle with a similar situation. I use my laptop in bed and I honestly struggle to put it down. However, after a lot of research and talking with people who've struggled with the same type of issue, they've found immense relief in leaving their electronics outside of the bedroom on charge overnight. This eliminates associating the bed with work/study/entertainment and actually improves sleep by allowing you to drift off faster and have a better sleep. Of course, many people find it hard to do this and it is understandable. I myself cannot find enough strength to just leave my laptop outside of my bedroom so I suggest turning on your phone's night light mode if it has one or downloading an application that will enable night light mode on your phone. This lessens the amount of blue light being emitted from your screen which puts less strain on your eyes and basically lets both your eyes and brain know it is time to get ready to sleep and that it is now night. Hope this helped! :)
Anonymous
September 13th, 2019 9:27am
Remembering your goals, what you want to achieve will help you put down your phone. Remember that you need you need to be in the best of health to do so, and this can only be done by putting the phone down, so you can rest and achieve your goals. It's a small step, but a one that will make a big, big difference. I understand it may be hard but remember your goals. Instead of staring at your phone, stare at the ceiling, thinking of your dreams, what you want to achieve, your goals. It's both motivating and a whole lot more satisfying.
laurenroseeee1818
October 3rd, 2019 9:52pm
It’s important to think about what your day might look like if you proceed to be on your phone at night. Sleep is very important to your well-being and having that blue light on your eyes can disrupt many health factors. If you are having trouble waking up in the morning, it might be because it’s difficult to just set your phone down and go to sleep. Setting a personal time limit on your phone can be very helpful and remind you of your goal. Another helpful thing might be to set your phone outside of your bedroom at night. It might be hard to get used to these routines the first few nights, but you will see changes in day to day life very quickly.
Cj526
November 23rd, 2019 9:38pm
I like to tell myself that everything I need will be there tomorrow. Another thing I like to do is listen to relaxation music to ease my mind and calm all my racing thoughts. When I am able to focus on just one thing I am then more relaxed and able to fall asleep. It's important to try doing this before the time you want to go to sleep. When I see that I am still awake past my "time limit" I start to feel more stressed and I feel like I failed myself. However, It's important to remember that isn't true.
Anonymous
November 28th, 2019 7:59pm
I have learned when I go to bed. just to turn down all the lights. turn down the volume and notifications on my phone. So, I am able to get some sleep. As I cannot sleep with any lights whatsoever. that is how I put my phone down and get some sleep. I also, turn soft music on and start some meditation music and listen to any type of soft music that will put me to sleep. I need at least 8 hours of sleep for me in order for me to be very functional in the mornings. Otherwise I cannot function in the mornings. So, Night times. I cannot Play games on my phone. I just have to plug it in away from my bed and let it charge and listen to meditation and relaxing songs.
Anonymous
December 11th, 2019 12:07pm
Turn it on silent or turn it off. Stop electronics close to bedtime. Read. Listen to relaxing music. Draw. Color. Journal. Contemplate your day. Count sheep. Focus on your breathing. Try breathing techniques. Count your blessings. Try positive and gratefulness. Meditate. Try some light exercise or stretching. Write down your to do list, worries, problems, and brief solutions. Try an App like Calm. Make sure your not too hot or cold. Keep your room dark and cool. Think about your good qualities. Count to ten. Write a letter to yourself. "Keep calm and carry on." Turn off lights.
Anonymous
December 22nd, 2019 11:24pm
As a person who has the same problem, here are some things that usually work for me: 1- Keep your phone out of your bedroom. That’s right! Don’t even use it in the first place. Using a screen can strain your eyes and keep you awake, which is not something you want when you’re trying to sleep. If you need extra help, keep your phone out of your room entirely so it isn’t tempting to use. 2- If your phone has a screen time control option, set it for a time when you want to put it away. If you need to challenge yourself more, set it with a password that you’ll likely forget, and keep the password taped to the inside of your phone case or something just in case you need it in an emergency. 3- If you know anyone in a different time zone or who stays up later than you, ask them to check in with you to remind you to go sleep. Hope I could help! Good luck with this.
iwishuwell
February 13th, 2020 9:43am
I believe they call it FOMO (fear of missing out). You refresh your social media feeds, check in with Quora to see if your answer got any up votes, hop onto You Tube to watch a video or two, and then think: Oh! I wonder X has been of Facebook? I should check that real quick….well, no, but Y is at that concert, I’m just going to peek at Instagram and see if she posted any pictures… So on and so forth, because that is the nature of social media. Something might have happened, someone may have posted. A new video could have been uploaded and you want to see. Just in case it’s important. Just in case it’s awesome. You wouldn’t want to miss something cool, right? People, fully grown adult people who should very much know better, will fritter away half a night doing this, and then, bleary eyed from lack of sleep the next day, tell themselves I am NOT doing that again. But they do. All of us, from impetuous teen to stodgy old married gal, can get hooked on the what if I miss something aspect of social media and burn up the night on our phones. None of us, from impetuous teen to stodgy old married gal, like to have a bedtime imposed on us, even when we impose it ourselves. That’s why it’s so hard. But we need rest, so it has to be. Put the phone down now and get some sleep.
Meghan0124
February 15th, 2020 4:20am
This can often seem like the hardest thing to do. I purposely put my charge in a different room and plug my phone in right before I go to bed. Out of sight, out of mind. I also make sure that I set a routine. About an hour before bed, I will check everything I need to: Facebook, e-mail, news, messages, etc. I stick to my time frame and then plug the phone in. On the rare occasions I need to keep my phone with me, I always make sure to turn down the screen brightness and turn the volume to vibrate.
Anonymous
March 19th, 2020 9:41pm
These easy tips can help you relax and get in the mood for sleep: 1. Quiet the mind 2. Deep breaths 3. Meditation or yoga 4. Exercising before bed 5. Making sure you are not stressed prior to bed. All of the above tips are helpful when trying to prepare your mind for a good night of sleep. Even by limiting your phone time to 30 minutes before you feel yourself getting sleepy helps ease the brain to a state of relaxation prior to becoming completely exhausted. Also, dont forget to make sure you did not consume high sugary foods or caffeine prior to bed as the plays a hufe role in sleep as well.
helpocat
March 21st, 2020 5:08pm
It helps if you set time for yourself to be on your phone and then go to sleep. For example you can say that you will chat or watch videos on Youtube till 22.30 and then put your phone away and sleep. If it helps you can do things on your phone that are more calming or not as interesting to stay awake for them, like going through the news or reading a short story. There are also plenty apps providing you support in this matter by closing your apps automaticaly to a set time. It is important that you remind yourself why it is important for you to go to sleep: Maybe you want to look awake and well rested or you simply want to have energy and power on the next day you get having enough sleep.
Anonymous
March 26th, 2020 2:17pm
For many people who self-identify as using their phone too much, this practice can be something that is used to curb boredom, loneliness, or even just acts as a way to distract from the everyday noise of life. If you are finding that the phone is getting to be something of a problem, here are a few tips that may help: Many smartphones are now coming equipped with "wellness" sections of the settings. These sections may provide some relief, as they are coming built-in with downtime options such as reducing blue lighting, having timers to set, and having options to review how long you've been on the phone. If you find that these options are not on your device or not a useable option, you may find that using the phone to your advantage will be a good way to ween yourself into a better sleep schedule. There are many options for meditations, soothing sounds, and apps that will read to you in the style of a lullaby. Using these may be an easier way to ease yourself into a restful mindset. Additionally, if you are one who is self-determined, you may set timers for yourself and shut off your phone at a certain time before bed. Hope these are helpful tips.
Rosina24
March 27th, 2020 1:59am
This is something I struggle with regularly. Set an alarm for the time you want to sleep and make sure to turn your phone onto Do Not Distrub or turn it off when the alarm goes off. Set limits with yourself and enjoy the quiet, meditate, read or lie with your thoughts in bed. Switching off is so important and neccessary for mental health and a good nights sleep. The phone will still be there in the morning, put yourself first. You can even send a message to friends/family explaining your new routine so they understand too and won't distrub you during those hours.
delicateBlossom28
April 19th, 2020 4:53am
Listen to music! Do some meditation or yoga before going to sleep? If I find myself addicted to a TV series, I always pause midway so that I don't end up in a cliffhanger at the end of the episode. Try to maintain a healthy schedule too by going to sleep routinely. Make a list of to-dos of what you wanna do the next day. Think about the things that make you excited about doing the next morning! It can be going to a walk with your dog or making a healthy breakfast. Using social media can be addictive. I suggest using an app to block your usage when you spent too much on it! I hope it helps!
kindPeace2936
April 22nd, 2020 11:49am
It's often easier if you can to put your phone on silent (or turn it off if you don't need an alarm) and leave it outside of the bedroom, at the other side of the room or if it has to be within reach, leave it face down so that if you do get a notification when you are trying to sleep the light won't waken you. It has also helped me to get in to the routine of telling anyone I've been chatting to that I'm heading to bed so they know to not expect any replies from me. This gives me time to not be waiting on responses and know anything else can wait until the morning.
Anonymous
April 23rd, 2020 9:52am
The main thing is willpower, but things that might help are: - planning that your phone turns off at a specific hour (a lot the phones I had had this) - or in alternative, putting a reminder - find something else to do before sleeping, like reading - don't charge your phone close to the bed, so that in the evening when the bttery is dying you can't just lay in bed and keep watching your phone That's all I could think of, I hope you find these ideas helpful. Keep in mind that a habit is developed over time, so it might take some weeks to get used to it. But if you really want to you're going to make it, good luck!
CaringAndCompassionateCandice
May 2nd, 2020 10:17pm
Ask yourself what are the benefits of not using your phone late at night, and then ask yourself what are the benefits of using your phone late at night. The answer to the second question determines why you are struggling with the motivation to put your phone down (e.g. you get to avoid the difficulty of falling sleep, you get to chat to people you can't chat with during the day, you enjoy Facebook etc), and the answer to the first question reveals whether or not you really value the idea of getting a good sleep. From there you can have a look at why you are struggling to change your behaviour- there are benefits to us even in the unwanted and undesirable things we do!
LavanderWoods
May 6th, 2020 5:05pm
It takes up some courage to do so. I can understand it can be really hard, if you have the urge to stay on your phone before going to bed. A few tips that I may have, are the next. Maybe try loading your phone in another place, than your room. Maybe try to give it to someone, before you go sleeping. Try to put an alarm on your phone. On some phone you can set a limit time for a few apps, you can try that too! I really hope that you will be able to put your phone away to go sleep, because blue lights before sleeping do not help with falling asleep. Good luck!
listeningwithgrace
May 7th, 2020 10:34pm
One of my favorite strategies for reducing cell phone distraction at night is to charge it away from my bed and bedroom! I typically leave it to charge at my desk at night before heading to bed. This helps me restrict the amount of time I am on my phone in the evenings. Oftentimes, it is easy to get absorbed into the endless number of notifications, apps, and newsfeed that phones provide. But by restricting the physical distance from the device before going to bed, you can begin to separate your screen time from bed time. Try out this strategy and see if works for you!
Rebekah
May 9th, 2020 10:51am
Sometimes, we can get REALLY into what we're reading/playing on our phones. Everything is about technology these days - some people can't even make a living without it. The technological world is forever changing! However, having our phone on for a long time and it depriving us of sleep is not great. Our health needs to come first - occasionally, we need to just put our phones down. How? Perhaps by setting a time limit for having the phone on, or maybe leaving the phone downstairs overnight and perhaps doing homework or reading instead could work. It can be hard to put our phones down, though it is important to know our limits!