How far should your phone be away from you while sleeping?

Snoozing or Losing? Why Your Phone Doesn’t Belong in Bed

We’ve all been there – scrolling through social media late at night, the blue light illuminating our sleep-deprived faces. While convenient, keeping our phones by our beds can be seriously harming our sleep quality. But how far is far enough for a good night’s rest?

The simple answer is: the further, the better. Ideally, our phones should be out of sight and out of mind while we sleep, banished to a different room entirely.

Why the Phone-Free Bedroom Policy?

• Blue Light Blues: Our phones emit blue light, a wavelength that tricks our brains into thinking it’s still daytime. This disrupts melatonin production, a crucial hormone regulating our sleep-wake cycle.
• Digital Temptation: A phone within arm’s reach is a recipe for sleep procrastination. Even a quick scroll through emails or newsfeeds can send us down a digital rabbit hole, stealing precious sleep time.
• Sleep-Stealing Notifications: Even on silent, the subtle light and vibrations from notifications can fragment our sleep, leaving us feeling groggy the next morning.

The Three-Foot Rule:

While keeping your phone out of the bedroom is ideal, we understand it’s not always practical. Many of us rely on our phones for alarms. If you must keep your phone in the bedroom, follow the three-foot rule. Place it at least three feet away from your bed to minimize nighttime blue light exposure and reduce the temptation for late-night scrolling.

Make Sleep a Priority:

Think of your sleep as a sacred space. By creating a tech-free haven in your bedroom, you can optimize your sleep quality and wake up feeling refreshed and recharged. Your body and mind will thank you for it!