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How many of us check our phones before bed? It seems most of us do! On average, Americans are spending about 2.5 hours every day on different apps. But could this habit be messing with our sleep?
MattressNextDay did a big study to understand how Americans use social media. They found out which apps are most liked by people and then asked 1,500 Americans more about their phone habits at night.
Guess which app is most liked? YouTube! People spend about six hours every week watching videos. Facebook and texting come next, with people spending 5.44 and 4.03 hours on them, respectively. But on weekends, something surprising happens: A lot more people start using WhatsApp.
Out of the people they talked to, 75% said Facebook is their top choice. Instagram and TikTok are also popular, with 60.7% and 42.4% of people using them. WhatsApp, even though it's super popular on weekends, is only on 28.6% of American phones.
Martin Seeley, the big boss at MattressNextDay, told Healthnews, "The light from your phone can mess with sleep. It stops your body from making melatonin, which helps you sleep." Apps like TikTok, which many people use for almost 24 hours in a month, might be a big reason we're staying up. "These apps keep your mind busy and make it hard to sleep," he added.
But why do we look at our phones so much before bed? A lot of Americans (more than half!) said they do it to relax. Others said it's to reply to messages they got during the day. And some just like to check social media one last time. But this habit keeps our brains busy and makes it hard to get deep sleep.
So, how can we sleep better in this world full of screens? Martin Seeley gives some easy tips:
1. Watch What You Eat: Don't have big meals, coffee, or alcohol close to bedtime.
2. Set the Mood: Turn down the lights in your room to tell your body it's sleep time.
3. Chill Out: Try things like soft music or keeping your work stuff away from your bed to help you sleep better.
In short, while we all love our phones and apps, they might be keeping us from sleeping well. It's a good idea to give ourselves a break from screens before bed. As Martin Seeley says, "Turn off your phone an hour before you go to sleep." It's a simple change that might help you sleep much better!