The smartphone has completely revolutionized the way we view and interact with the world. However, it hasn't come without its own set of problems. Many of us have become extremely attached to our phones, and we don't know when to put it down for the night. The bright screen from your phone can strain your eyes and can cause your brain to stay more alert and awake as you check your email and cycle through your social media accounts. This forces us to stay awake longer than we should and can affect how we function throughout the next day.
Here are five ways to avoid your smartphone before you go to sleep.
1. Put your phone across the room
This method appeals to our sense of laziness that we all get once we are curled up in our warm bed. When the remote for the television is on the other side of the room, the worst thing in the world is having to get up to get it.
By keeping your phone across the room, you are less likely to get up and get it compared to having it next to you on a nightstand.
2. Change the settings on your phone
Anxiety sometimes starts to set in when we don't have our phone near us. We think about texts we might be missing, calls we're not answering or emergencies that may be occurring without our knowledge. Most of the time, nothing is happening. Not being around your phone is okay, and those texts can go unanswered for one night while you rest.
Smartphones have grown when it comes to how you can customize their settings. Phones can help track your sleep patterns! Cell phones also have specific settings that allow you to block all notifications after a certain time.
3. Use older items in place of your smartphone
Cell phones replace a lot of things in our house, such as alarm clocks. Smartphones function like an actual clock on your nightstand, but it might be time to revert to the ol' clock itself. Using an old-fashioned clock will help you give your phone a break for the night.
4. Charge the cell phone somewhere else
People usually charge their phones near their beds at night. But if you can't sleep, your phone will be readily available.
By charging it in another room, the cell phone is out of sight, out of mind. It will take time to adjust, but once you've gotten accustomed to it, you will be able to sleep more peacefully.
5. Keep yourself on a schedule
It may be impossible to completely stop using your cell phone at night, so start by putting yourself on a schedule. Allow yourself a certain amount of time on your phone, and after you figure out that number, slowly decrease it every week. As you bring it down, you learn to cut certain apps from your cycle. You'll begin to prioritize your time, and hopefully, find you don't need to use any apps before you sleep.