How Screens and Everyday Habits Can Affect Sleep

Sometimes difficulty sleeping isn’t caused by one big problem.

Small things we do throughout the day and evening can influence how ready we feel for sleep later.

Phones, caffeine, alcohol, exercise, daylight and irregular routines can all play a part.

You don’t need to live perfectly to sleep well. But understanding what might be affecting your sleep can help you decide whether there are a few things worth changing.

Do phones and screens affect sleep?

Phones, tablets, televisions and laptops are part of everyday life, so completely avoiding screens isn’t realistic for everybody.

The issue isn’t necessarily just the screen itself.

Think about what you are doing on it.

Answering work emails, reading upsetting news, arguing on social media or endlessly scrolling through videos can keep your mind engaged when you are trying to wind down.

Phones can also make it very easy for bedtime to become later than intended.

If this sounds familiar, try creating a little separation between your screen and going to sleep.

That could simply mean putting your phone down earlier or keeping it away from your bedside.

Can caffeine keep me awake?

Caffeine is a stimulant and can make you feel more alert.

It is found in coffee, tea, many energy drinks, cola and some other products.

People respond differently to caffeine. Someone who can drink coffee in the evening without noticing a problem may have a very different experience from somebody else.

If you are struggling to sleep, consider how much caffeine you are having and when you are having it.

Reducing caffeine later in the day may be worth trying.

Does alcohol help you sleep?

Alcohol can make you feel sleepy, which can create the impression that it helps with sleep.

However, alcohol can disrupt the quality of sleep later in the night and may leave you feeling less refreshed the following day.

Using alcohol regularly as a way of getting to sleep can also create other problems.

If alcohol has become something you feel you need in order to sleep, consider speaking to your GP or another appropriate healthcare professional for advice.

What about food?

Going to bed extremely hungry can make it difficult to settle, but a large or heavy meal close to bedtime may also be uncomfortable for some people.

Again, there isn’t one routine that works for everybody.

Pay attention to whether particular foods, large meals or eating very late seem to affect your sleep.

Can exercise help?

Being physically active during the day can support sleep as well as wider mental and physical wellbeing.

It doesn’t have to mean joining a gym or following an intensive exercise programme.

Walking, cycling, gardening or other activities that get you moving can all count.

If vigorous exercise very close to bedtime leaves you feeling more alert, you may prefer doing it earlier. Other people find evening activity doesn’t cause them a problem.

Notice what works for you.

Don’t forget daylight

Getting outside during the day, particularly earlier in the day where possible, can help support the body’s natural sleep and waking pattern.

This can be particularly useful if you spend much of your day indoors.

A short walk outside can combine daylight, movement and a break from whatever else you are doing.

Look for patterns rather than perfection

If your sleep isn’t great, don’t immediately try changing everything at once.

Choose one or two things.

Perhaps you could:

• have your last caffeinated drink earlier
• stop checking work emails in bed
• get outside during the day
• move a little more
• reduce late-night scrolling
• keep your getting-up time more consistent.

Try the change for a while and notice whether it makes a difference.

The aim isn’t to create a perfect lifestyle.

It’s to understand your own sleep patterns and make realistic changes that might help.

When should I seek more help?

Everyday habits are only one part of sleep.

Persistent sleep problems can also be associated with stress, anxiety, health conditions, medication or other factors.

If poor sleep has continued for some time, is regularly leaving you exhausted or is significantly affecting everyday life, consider speaking to your GP.

What to Do When You Can’t Sleep
Practical things to try when you’re awake and sleep isn’t happening.

Sleep and Mental Wellbeing
Understand the relationship between how you sleep and how you feel.

How Physical Activity Can Support Mental Wellbeing
Explore some of the wider benefits of getting moving.

Tired All the Time, When Poor Sleep Affects Everyday Life
For when tiredness is beginning to affect work, concentration, relationships or everyday activities.

General information only. This is not a diagnosis or a substitute for professional healthcare advice.