We are sure this image sounds familiar to you: before bed, just in the moment you fall asleep more easily, you get under the covers, find a good sleeping position, and check your phone for a bit, reply to a few messages… and suddenly, an entire hour has gone by. A recent study in Norway has confirmed that this seemingly harmless and very common habit can raise your risk of insomnia by as much as 59%!
And it doesn’t matter if you’re watching TikToks or reviewing notes, if you’re on your phone after going to bed, you’re hurting your sleep. Because the real issue isn’t what you’re doing, it’s how much time you’re stealing from your rest.
“I have insomnia… I just can’t sleep”
Are you sure, George? The study analysed the habits of more than 45,000 people between the ages of 18 and 28, and the results leave no doubt. Just one extra hour of screen time at night significantly raises the chance of experiencing insomnia. How many hours do you spend on your phone before sleeping?
Dr. Gunnhild Johnsen Hjetland from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health puts it simply: it’s not the content, it’s the time. “Watching videos or studying doesn’t matter, if you’re taking away hours from your sleep, your body is going to make you pay for it sooner or later”.
They call it “time displacement.” You think you’re resting, but you’re actually sacrificing minutes (and sometimes hours) of sleep just to stay connected without even noticing.
The real issue: not being able to disconnect
The study highlights what many already suspect: more and more people (not just young ones) are struggling to fall asleep. They know sleep is essential for performance, mood, and energy, but still can’t put the phone down at night. It’s practically an addiction, and a damaging one.
Night after night, that adds up to an irregular, shallow, and unrefreshing sleep pattern. It’s like charging your battery to only 40% every day. You’re always on the edge.
Doomscrolling: what is it?
Neuroscientist Chelsie Rohrscheib warns about another trap: doomscrolling. Basically, it’s getting stuck reading negative news right before bed.
The problem? It activates your brain. The amygdala goes into alert mode, releasing adrenaline and cortisol, and signals to your body: “something’s wrong, stay alert.” Which is the exact opposite of what you need to fall asleep. Your whole system goes on high alert.
Add to that anxiety, racing thoughts, and the sense of unease that lingers through the night, the classic “hyperfocus” that keeps your body feeling like it’s under threat.
What can you do to sleep better starting now?
The simplest, most effective tip: turn off screens at least half an hour before bed. Don’t wait until you’re half-asleep to put the phone on your nightstand. Power it down earlier and create a nighttime routine with no screens.
If your bedtime routine relies on screens, try replacing them with breathing exercises, meditation, reading a paper book, taking a warm shower, listening to relaxing music, or just lying still with your eyes closed. Anything that tells your body “it’s time to slow down.”
Good sleep isn’t a luxury, it’s health
Bad sleep doesn’t just mean feeling tired the next day. It affects everything: your immune system, your mood, your memory, your ability to focus. And while we’re hyperconnected all day, that doesn’t mean we have to stay connected after we turn out the lights.
Phones are stealing real rest. The price of poor sleep doesn’t begin with illness, it starts with a notification popping up just when your brain wanted to switch off.
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