How to Help Kids Balance Phones and Screens with Sleep

Phones and devices are a major part of a kid's daily routine, and that extends to nighttime as well. In fact, over half of preteens and teens surveyed by Common Sense reported using their phones overnight.

Not getting enough sleep can affect children's physical and mental health. Staying up too late can even impact their attention, behavior, and development. When it comes to screens and sleep, there are a few things to remember:

• Blue light at night interrupts natural sleep rhythms. So it's best to avoid it before bed. (Blue light from the sun keeps us alert during the day. The highly concentrated blue light from screens does the same thing.)
• Just using a device is stimulating. Using screens before bed makes it harder to fall asleep, because they keep your brain alert when it should be winding down.

Young people can face a lot of pressure during the day. So it's understandable that many turn to their phones to relax. Try to help your kids reflect on their tech experiences without judgment. Then, check out these ideas to support them in balancing their tech use at night:

• Limit using screens before bed. Whenever possible, shut everything off—including phones and tablets—at least an hour before bedtime. Set a screen-free routine with your child, like reading or listening to podcasts, to help them settle in for the night. And for older kids who might be doing online homework late, help them find a routine that calms their brain and body down after they turn off their device.
• Block the blue light. Make sure kids are using "night mode" on their devices after sunset. Apple and Android devices have options to adjust display color based on time of day.
• Turn off notifications. Make sure your kids turn off their notifications at night. You can use built-in features like Apple's Screen Time or Google's Family Link to set limits.
• Keep phones out of the bedroom or sleeping area at night. Teens tell us that putting their phone in another room overnight is the best way to help them resist the temptation to use it—and this leads to better sleep. But some kids use their phones to play background noise or music to fall asleep. If this is the case for your child, try other options, like a white noise machine. Or have them turn off notifications and set "do not disturb" on other apps overnight so the phone's only job is to play music.
• Talk about tech expectations. Use a Family Tech Planner to create rules for how everyone uses devices. This will give kids a say and develop a shared understanding of how they can make the most out of entertainment and tech time.
• Walk the walk. Of course, adults can also have a hard time putting down their devices. Whenever you can, model healthy tech habits that you want your kids to pick up.