Digital Detox – Why you should ban your mobile phone from your bedroom.

I’ve been talking about it for years and four weeks ago I finally pulled through with it: I banned my mobile phone from my bedroom. I’ve thought about it so many times and now I’m really sticking to it. As a friendly reminder, I put this sign on the bedroom door:

From this day on, no mobile phones, tablets, laptops are allowed to pass the doorstep to our bedroom. The only exception is my  Kindle Paperwhite E-reader. Now, after four weeks of having a digital free bedroom I am so happy that I finally made the decision to pull through with it. Not only do I waste less of my precious time, I also sleep better and wake up without the first thought being about what I’ve missed during the night.

Why should you leave your mobile devices outside your bedroom?

Look at yourself: Is your mobile phone the first thing you reach out to in the morning and also the last thing you check before you go to sleep? That’s kind of sad, isn’t it? 
It’s also a vicious cycle that will never let you unwind fully. With your phone next to your head, today’s events, news and stories and tomorrow’s to do’s and worries are always near. 

There’s also a good chance you’re sabotaging your sleep by using your smartphone in the few (or maybe not so few) minutes before going to bed. A growing body of research suggests that staring at the blue and white light emitted from digital screens prevents your brain from releasing the hormone melatonin and it becomes harder to fall and stay asleep.

Not to mention the time you’re spending wasting thumb scrolling your facebook feed, watching Instagram or Snapchat stories, checking emails or getting caught on YouTube. Time you’d rather invest in calming down and prepare your mind for a good night sleep. Just think about how much more sleeping time you can log each night without your phone distracting you from just how tired you really are.

Here are some more reasons to banish your phone from the bedroom:

• You’ll fall asleep easier.
• Relaxation before sleep is vital.
• You’ll wake up feeling rested.
• You spend more time with your loved one.
• Your bedroom should be a work free zone.
• You’ll reduce your radiation exposure.
• You find time to read a book.
• You don’t have to be available all the time.
• The world will go on without you checking your phone ;-)

Are you convinced and ready to give it a try? Then go for it! Here’s…

How to make your bedroom a digital detox zone

It’s simple: Just do it. Set rules. Stick to them. If you are in a relationship, talk to your partner about it, it only works if you both stick to the rules.

Then, get an alarm clock. Ok, I admit, I’d prefer to be awakened by my favorite song instead of the slightly aggressive peep peep peep of a regular alarm clock. Therefore, I’m working on waking up by myself a couple of minutes before the alarm starts. (Anyway, if you know an alarm clock that plays music and is not a radio, let me know!)

Leave your phone at the living room table or your working desk, make sure the sound is turned off and just leave it there. 
It might be hard the first nights and you’ll probably feel the urge to get up and grab your phone, but you have to resist. You will get used to it and you will (learn to) love it, believe me.

One morning you will notice that you haven’t event got the urge to check your phone before shower/yoga/mediation/breakfast… Like me today when I forgot both my private and my work phone at home when leaving for the office.