About the use of cell phones we know two things with certainty: it is extremely addictive and, at the same time, very Inadvisable before going to sleep. As you will see, there is no need to point out the problem here.
For example, in a study published in May 2023 in the journal Science Direct Participants recorded an average cell phone use of 5.8 hours a day, 67% of the total admitted that they spent too much on the screen, and 83% had tried to reduce it. But this can be a difficult habit to break.
Regarding how these devices affect the quality of our sleep, in a 2011 study published in The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, a team of sleep doctors analyzed exposure to artificial light before bed in 116 people without diagnosed sleep disorders. The researchers discovered that exposure to indoor electric lighting between dusk and bedtime suppressed melatonin production —the hormone that makes bed the coziest place in the world—in approximately 99% of participants. Added to this is that most of the electronic devices we use daily emit blue light.a type that some experts believe suppresses the production of that hormone particularly well.
But all these findings don’t have to be so discouraging; psychologist Sarah Domoff and psychiatrist Christina Lee share with the magazine Self three tips for when it is practically impossible for us to leave our cell phone before going to sleep (which are a little more elaborate than leaving them on the other side of the room).
Identify the why
«One of the keys to changing a behavior is understanding why you do it in the first place. If you figure out what keeps you glued to your phone at night, it will be easier to come up with strategies to stop the habit,” says Domoff, from the University at Albany (New York, United States).
If, for example, you are simply not tired yet and need to kill time until sleep takes over, you can replace it with a good book. If it’s not just that you went to bed early but that you’re generally not tired when night comes, it may be a good idea to start incorporating physical activity in your routine, or something that assures you spend your energy during the day. Knowing precisely the cause, it is easy to develop an action plan.
Make your cell phone a little more boring
Although it sounds difficult, There are ways to reduce the temptation of the last scroll of the day. A good example is activating the mode “grayscale” (option that is available for both iPhone and Android). One research specifically looked at how removing all colors makes the phone much less attractive and therefore effective in decreasing its use.
Another trick recommended by Lee is to wrap a hair tie or elastic around the phone, so that it acts as a physical barrier between the scrolleo and you. This physical reminder serves to prevent us from unlocking the cell phone automatically, without thinking about what we are doing.
Make a team
If you have a partner, friends or colleagues who also face being attached to their cell phone before bed, you can suggest changing the habit together. Both some research and psychiatrist Lee consider that It is much easier to change our habits when we involve other people.
Once we choose a partner (or rival in competition), We can establish the rules of the game: The goal may be to last from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. without touching the screen, or to see who can spend the least time online after dinner. To motivate ourselves even more, it is a good idea to establish a reward: Whoever wins does not wash the dishes, choose the next plan together or take care of some common task.
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This content was originally published in RED/ACCION and is republished as part of the “Human Journalism” program, an alliance for quality journalism between RÍO NEGRO and RED/ACCION.