Summer Challenge Urges 30-Minute Phone Curfew Before Bed to Improve Sleep
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Jun 11
Summer Challenge Urges 30-Minute Phone Curfew Before Bed to Improve Sleep
1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jun 11
Summary
A monthlong summer challenge is asking people to shut off their phones 30 minutes before bed and keep them off overnight to improve sleep.
A 2025 study in Technology, Mind and Behavior found participants who did a 30-minute bedtime digital detox felt better the next day and used their phones less.
Sleep specialists said even calming social media keeps the brain cognitively and emotionally engaged; a 2025 YouGov survey found 43% of Americans often or always browse phones before falling asleep.
Experts recommended putting the phone in another room or out of arm’s reach, using do-not-disturb with emergency exceptions, and replacing scrolling with analog routines such as reading, journaling or meditation.
The challenge asks people to try the detox nightly for 1 week and watch for even small gains in falling asleep faster or staying asleep longer.