Expert shares whether phone scrolling late at night actually affects your sleep

Having a can cure all manner of sins. So, if you you will naturally be looking for answers. Is it because something is on your mind? Is it your diet or environment? Or is it, as many people in the modern age believe, due to the blue light emitted by your smartphone - yep, the one you are probably using right now to read this article.

While blue light (the light emitted by tech) does affect our body’s natural rhythm, it isn’t necessarily true that it keeps you up at night. Stuart Peirson, professor of circadian neuroscience at Oxford University, told the Guardian that: “Sleep is a complex process.

"Technically, blue light from smartphones can affect sleep but these effects are small unless you are using your phone for hours with a bright screen and already have sleep problems.”

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He went on to explain that eyes contain receptors that influence our sleep-wake cycle, and these are sensitive not only to blue light but also to red and other long wavelengths. This suggests that the colour of light isn’t the main issue. Instead, it’s the intensity and duration of exposure that matter most. Given that phone screens are relatively dim - daylight is 1000 times stronger - their effect on sleep might not be as disruptive as people often assume.

And other studies back this up, At Harvard University scientists found that if someone used an e-reader for four hours on full strength the light exposure only increased the time they weren’t able to sleep by around 10 minutes. If you suffer from insomnia you will know that is minimal time. It is much more likely that doom-scrolling on TikTok, watching interesting videos, or reading a gripping book will keep you awake for longer as the content has stimulated you.

In a on his channel, sleep expert Stephanie Romiszewski shared her tips on getting a good 8-hour rest. "Think of the brain like a small puppy," she explained, underscoring the need for regularity and patience. The expert added that it's crucial to get up at roughly the same time each day.

Stephanie warned against the temptation to snooze for extra hours, saying, "The more we lie in and teach our brains that actually you want a couple of hours of extra sleep... you're confusing your brain."

She also advised that shift workers wear sunglasses when returning home on their shift to ease them sleep time. Screens and devices can be disruptive to sleep, explained Stephanie, so charging your phone away from your bed, and putting it on do not disturb mode are other things you can do to improve sleep quality.

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