Screen Time Before Bed: How It Affects Your Sleep

Desk checklist

Setting	Aim for	Quick check
Evening screen cutoff	Stop using all screens, including phones, tablets, and computers, at least one hour before your planned bedtime.	Is there a set time each night when I put all my devices away and out of reach?
Blue light filter	Use a ‘night mode’ or blue light filter on all devices. This setting makes the screen color warmer in the evening.	After sunset, does my screen’s light look noticeably more orange or red than it does during the day?
Screen brightness	Match your screen’s brightness to the light level of your room. In the evening, your screen should be dim.	In a dimly lit room, is my screen the brightest source of light? If yes, it is likely too bright.
Content choice	Avoid stimulating content like work emails, intense news, or action-packed games in the hour before bed.	Is the content I am watching or reading making me feel relaxed, or is it making my mind race?
Bedroom screen habits	Keep screens out of the bedroom. Charge your phone in another room to avoid the temptation to use it in bed.	Is my phone within arm’s reach of my bed right now?

Using screens just before trying to sleep can make it more difficult to fall asleep. The blue light from phones, tablets, and computers can disrupt your body’s natural sleep cycle, and the content you view can keep your mind active and alert when it should be winding down.

Managing your screen use in the hours before bed can help prepare your body and mind for rest. Simple adjustments to your device settings and daily habits can support this process.

Adjusting Your Device Settings for Evening

Most devices have a built-in ‘night mode’ or blue light filter that you can schedule to turn on automatically. This setting makes the screen’s light look warmer, more orange or red, in the evening. While using a filter is helpful, it does not make it okay to use screens right up until you want to sleep.

You should also match your screen’s brightness to the light level in your room. In a dimly lit room, your screen should also be dim. If your screen is the brightest source of light in the room, it is likely too bright and you should manually lower the brightness.

Building Healthier Nighttime Routines

Aim to stop using all screens at least one hour before your planned bedtime. This includes phones, tablets, and e-readers with backlights. Setting a daily alarm for one hour before bed can serve as a simple reminder to put your devices away.

The type of content you engage with also matters. In the hour before bed, avoid stimulating material like work emails, intense news, or action-packed games. The goal is to choose content that helps you feel relaxed, not content that makes your mind race.

Try to keep screens out of the bedroom entirely. A common mistake is scrolling on a phone in bed, even for a few minutes. Charging your phone in another room, like the kitchen or living room, helps remove the temptation to use it when you should be resting.

Common mistakes

Scrolling on a phone in bed, even for a few minutes.
Assuming a blue light filter makes it okay to use screens right up until bedtime.
Watching exciting or stressful shows or videos just before trying to sleep.
Keeping the screen at full brightness in a dark room.
Forgetting that tablets and e-readers with backlights are also screens.

Low-cost fixes

Activate the built-in ‘night mode’ or ‘eye comfort’ schedule on your devices.
Set a daily alarm for one hour before bed as a reminder to turn off screens.
Charge your phone overnight in the kitchen or living room instead of the bedroom.
Replace evening screen time with reading a physical book or listening to calm music.
Manually dim your screen’s brightness in the evening.

What it will not do

This advice is not a treatment for underlying sleep disorders like insomnia or sleep apnea.
Improving screen habits is only one part of good sleep hygiene; caffeine, diet, and a consistent schedule also matter.
It may not be enough to improve sleep issues caused by significant stress, anxiety, or other medical conditions.
It cannot replace a medical evaluation for persistent sleep problems.

Quick questions

How long before bed should I stop using screens?

You should stop using all screens, including your phone, tablet, and computer, at least one hour before your planned bedtime to help your body prepare for sleep.

Is it okay to use my phone in bed if I use a blue light filter?

No, a blue light filter does not make it okay to use screens right up until bedtime. It is best to keep all screens out of the bedroom to avoid the temptation to use them.

What can I do instead of looking at a screen before bed?

You can replace evening screen time with other relaxing activities, such as reading a physical book or listening to calm music.

When to see a doctor or physio

These habits are only one part of good sleep hygiene and are not a treatment for sleep disorders. See a doctor if you have persistent trouble falling or staying asleep, or if you consistently feel tired during the day. You should also seek a medical evaluation if your sleep problems are accompanied by low mood or anxiety.

You have persistent trouble falling asleep or staying asleep.
You consistently feel tired during the day, and it interferes with your activities.
Your sleep problems are accompanied by low mood, high stress, or anxiety.
You regularly use over-the-counter sleep aids to fall asleep.
You have been told you snore loudly, choke, or stop breathing during sleep.

How this page was put together: general guidance consistent with public workstation and movement-break resources from OSHA, CDC/NIOSH and the NHS, and with standard exercise handouts. It was drafted with AI assistance, checked in a separate review pass and edited under our editorial policy. It is not medical advice and no clinician reviewed it. Last checked October 2026.