Doomscrolling is Wrecking Sleep… Bring Back Phone-Free Bedrooms
In today’s always-on culture, bedtime often means doomscrolling: endless feeds, notifications, and late-night screens that disrupt the body’s natural rhythms. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine now explicitly recommends keeping phones out of the bedroom and suggests using a clock for timekeeping and alarms instead. This simple switch can protect your circadian rhythm and improve sleep quality.
Doomscrolling has become a surprisingly common bedtime ritual, and we see the consequences every day. Constantly checking notifications or late-night feeds not only delays sleep, but it also keeps the mind stimulated when it should be winding down.
One of the simplest changes people can make is to leave the phone out of the bedroom entirely and rely on a physical clock for timekeeping instead. Having a tactile, analogue object helps the brain separate from screens and signals that it’s time to rest.
Of course, a standard wall clock can introduce its own distractions. No one wants a loud, incessant ticking echoing through the room while trying to fall asleep. That’s why it’s important to choose a high-quality wall clock with a silent sweep movement. These clocks maintain the visual presence and elegance of a classic timepiece without creating noise, allowing your bedtime routine to remain calm and undisturbed.
Getting a full night’s rest has far-reaching benefits, from improved focus and memory to better emotional resilience, and a quiet, phone-free bedroom is a key foundation for this. Beyond choosing the right clock, there are several simple adjustments you can make to your bedroom environment that help signal to your body it’s time to sleep and make your nights more restorative:
- Keep phones out of the bedroom – Avoid the temptation to check notifications or scroll before bed. Consider charging devices outside the room.
- Install blackout or heavy curtains – Reduce light exposure to signal your body that it’s time to sleep and help maintain consistent circadian rhythms.
- Maintain a comfortable temperature – Keep your bedroom cool, ideally around 15–20°C, to promote deeper and more consistent sleep.
- Limit noise and distractions – Use rugs, curtains, or white-noise machines to buffer external sounds and create a calm environment.
- Establish a calming bedtime routine – Reading a book, gentle stretching, or meditative practices can help signal to your body that it’s time to unwind.
Written by Alessandro Conti, Founder & Creative Director of BestWallClock Archive
