Shutting Down Your Smartphone for a Sound Slumber: Why (and How) You Should Do It
- Author: Malte Mansholt
- Reading Time: Approx. 2 minutes
Reduce Smartphone Usage at Night - Not Primarily for Radiation Concerns - Smartphone Shutdown Recommended at Night: Radiation Concerns Not Main Reason
There's no denying the temptation to keep fiddling with your smartphone, even as the evening sets in. But the fun doesn't have to stop when it's time to hit the sack. However, it's not about reducing radiation exposure, which is a topic in itself; it's more about practical reasons that can drastically affect your sleep quality.
Radiation is a concern, to be sure. Even when your phone is off, it's still emitting. With an active internet connection, it's constantly seeking updates, listening for new messages, or uploading backups to the cloud [2]. While the risks of radiation exposure might not be immediately dangerous [3], it's always better to find ways to minimize it.
The Power of Psychology
The psychological factor, however, takes center stage. The presence of your phone can create stress, even if you don't have a full-blown addiction. A study conducted by the University of Paderborn found that just having your phone in the same room made participants feel on edge [1]. This was true irrespective of whether the participant displayed symptoms of smartphone addiction or not.
The same principle applies to your bedside table. If your phone is within reach, you're more likely to check it as soon as you wake up. Turning off your phone reduces this behavior, since booting up a device in half-sleep isn't an automatic reaction [1]. Additionally, powering down sends a subtle signal to yourself: It's time to unplug and disconnect from constant digital availability.
This holds true for starting your day as well. If your phone has to boot up, you can use the time to do other things, like making coffee or having a quiet moment to yourself before diving into digital distractions. This gives your brain a few extra minutes to wake up before being bombarded with notifications and demands [1].
The Tech Side of Things
There are also technical advantages to turning off your phone. Smartphones, at their core, are just miniature computers. Like any computer, they need occasional reboots to maintain optimal performance. By turning off your phone daily, you can prevent glitches and potential problems that could arise from their complex connectivity and app ecosystem [4].
Additionally, turning off your phone allows it to install necessary security updates [4]. It also conserves power since every minute your phone is on, it drains some battery life, even in airplane mode [4]. By powering down overnight, you preserve battery life and extend the lifespan of your device by reducing the number of charging cycles, which can degrade the battery's capacity over time [4].
In summary, turning off your smartphone before bed offers a blend of practical, psychological, and technical benefits. These advantages range from reduced distractions and stress to improved device performance and longevity, ultimately enhancing your sleep quality and overall well-being.
- The Commission is also proposing to extend the scope of the programme to include the area of smartphone usage before sleep, focusing on the psychological and technical benefits of avoiding smartphone usage overnight.
- Interestingly, the presence of a smartphone, even when not actively used, can cause stress and distractions at night, leading to poor sleep quality, a factor that the Commission's proposed programme aims to address.
- It's not just about reducing radiation exposure from smartphones at night; the Commission's programme proposal also highlights the importance of avoiding smartphone usage for maintaining optimal performance and prolonging the lifespan of the device.
