Approximately 210 million people are addicted to the internet (Longstreet & Brooks, 2016). A surprising 71% of people sleep next to their phone, while 47 million Americans report sleep problems. Studies have found a link between using your phone before bed and sleep problems (Fossum, Nordnes, Storemark, Bjorvatn, & Pallesen, 2014). Sleep problems can certainly impact mental health. Take control of your sleep hygiene and mental health by “cutting the phone cord.”
1) Resist checking your phone when you first wake up. How you start your day often determines your productivity and focus for the day. Don’t set yourself up to be glued to your phone all day.
2) Put your phone away at work, or at least keep it on silent. The alerts will keep you checking your phone. Reduce your temptation and silence your phone.
3) Commit to not using your phone in the car. Using your phone while driving is an unsafe practice and takes your attention away from steering a 4,000-pound vehicle. By removing your phone while driving, it gives you time to reflect on your day.
4) Don’t take your phone to bed with you. Charge it in another room. Fall asleep reading a good book.
5) Reserve the hour before bed as a time to relax.
6) Start small. If you find it difficult to let go of your phone, give yourself 3 activities you can do with your phone before you put it away. In a week, give yourself 2 activities, and in another week, give yourself one activity. The following week, you should be more comfortable with letting your phone go at bedtime.
7) Monitor your phone use with a smartphone app, like Quality Time for Androids and Moment for iPhones. This will give you an idea of how often you use your phone.
Your sleep is an important component in maintaining good mental health. Don’t let a phone come between you and your sleep.
Fossum, I. N., Nordnes, L. T., Storemark, S. S., Bjorvatn, B., & Pallesen, S. (2014). The association between use of electronic media in bed before going to sleep and insomnia symptoms, daytime sleepiness, morningness, and chronotype. Behavioral Sleep Medicine, 12(5), 343–357. https://doi-org.db22.linccweb.org/10.1080/15402002.2013.819468
Longstreet, P., & Brooks, S. (2016). Life satisfaction: A key to managing internet & social media addiction. Technology in Society, 50(3), 73-77.
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