My phone makes it harder to switch off at night. I’ll get into bed planning to check one thing, then end up scrolling through random videos or reading stuff I don’t even care about. Even when I put it down, my brain still feels switched on.
The worst part is that I’m tired but not actually relaxed. I’ve tried leaving the phone across the room, though I keep making excuses to bring it back beside me. Lately I’ve been turning on grayscale and setting a cutoff time, which helps a little. The evenings still feel strangely empty without it, but I think that’s probably a sign of how used to the constant stimulation I’ve become.
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The “tired but not actually relaxed” part is so familiar. I can be physically worn out and still feel like my head is waiting for the next bit of information to arrive. Grayscale helped me a little too, but it didn’t stop the habit by itself.
What’s worked better is replacing the phone with something low-effort, like a paperback or a quiet radio programme, so the evening doesn’t feel completely blank. Do you have anything that makes that cutoff time feel less like losing a source of entertainment?
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Carl, the “tired but not actually relaxed” feeling is the bit I find hardest too. My body can be ready for sleep while my brain still expects another clip, message, or headline.
I’ve had better luck giving myself a simple replacement rather than just taking the phone away. A few pages of a paperback or a quiet radio programme makes the cutoff feel less like the evening has suddenly ended. Grayscale and the across-the-room trick still help, but having something low-effort to switch to makes them easier to stick with.
The quiet radio programme is a good idea. I’ve started keeping a crossword book beside the bed, since it gives my mind something small to focus on without pulling me into another screen.
I still reach for my phone sometimes, especially after a stressful day, but having the crossword already there makes the cutoff feel less like I’m being deprived of something.