Why It’s Better Not to Sleep With Your Phone in the Same Room

For most of us, our phones are the last thing we look at before going to sleep and the first thing we see when we wake up. Although it’s very convenient to use your phone as an alarm clock and check the news before going to bed, this habit might actually disrupt our sleep and affect our health in many surprising ways.

Here at Bright Side, we also find it hard to put away our phones before going to sleep. And we did some research to find out why it might be better to keep your phone out of your bedroom.

1. It might affect your sleep.

You can surf the Internet, scroll through funny pictures, play games, and text, so it comes as no surprise that with all these functions, your phone may also disturb your sleep. When you use your phone or stare for hours at any other screen, you are exposed to blue light from the device that sends your body the signal to delay sleep. If it happens on a daily basis, it might confuse your body and disrupt your natural sleep-wake cycles.

2. It may affect your reproductive health.

Whether you’re binge-watching your favorite show or playing a game to relax after a long day, it might be hard to put your phone away. But if you continue to refresh your news feed, it can delay your bedtime and make it harder to fall asleep. Not getting enough sleep can affect your body in many ways and might even cause issues in reproductive health. Studies have shown that men who have 6 or fewer hours of sleep and women who are sleep-deprived are more likely to experience difficulties when trying for a baby.

3. It may cause you to gain weight.

Phones are designed to catch your attention and trigger your immediate response. If you keep your phone on your nightstand, it’s easy to be tempted to check it if you wake up at night, and once you read something upsetting, it will be harder to fall back asleep. Apart from other unpleasant consequences, poor sleep increases oxidative stress in your body and disrupts your circadian rhythm, causing you to gain extra pounds. If you’re working hard to lose weight, consider keeping your phone in another room at night to avoid potential sleep disruptors.

4. It might make you more anxious.

Most of us are familiar with the feeling of not being able to stop compulsively checking our phones. All the rings, alerts, and alarms can easily affect your stress level and cause you to feel anxious. Research has shown that people who suffer from anxiety often have trouble sleeping, and sleep deprivation, in turn, can increase your anxiety level by an impressive 30%. To break the cycle of anxiety and insomnia, try turning off your phone before sleeping and keeping it in another room.

Where do you keep your phone at night? Have you ever tried leaving it out of your bedroom before going to sleep?