You snooze, you win.

After a rough day at work, back-to-back lectures, or the chaos of getting the kids settled, you settle in bed and tell yourself it’s finally time to unwind. You grab your phone, start scrolling, and before you know it, it’s suddenly 1 AM, and instead of feeling relaxed, your brain is in overdrive. Sound familiar?

If your nighttime routine looks more like a battle against screens and spiralling thoughts than a peaceful transition into sleep, you’re not alone. Our modern world is engineered to keep us awake - through overstimulation, blue light exposure, and an endless stream of content. But if you want to reclaim your rest, it’s time to break the cycle.

Why we sabotage our own sleep

Let’s be honest, no one intends to sabotage their sleep. But when we spend our pre-sleep hours on our phones or zoning out to Netflix, we’re hijacking the brain’s natural transition into rest. Sleep isn’t just about rest—it’s about emotional processing and cognitive recovery. Here’s how it affects us:

  • Doomscrolling keeps your brain in high alert

The modern world has a tricky way of involving ourselves into each other’s lives a little too much. Scrolling through Instagram, keeping up with the latest celebrity gossip, and comparing yourself to someone else keeps your brain in overdrive. Instead of allowing yourself to enter a phase of recovery, you’re squeezing more and more energy out of yourself.

  • Blue light tricks your brain into thinking it's daytime

Your screens emit blue light, which suppresses melatonin, the hormone your body naturally produces when the environment is dark. This can have detrimental impacts on your body’s internal clock if you see the gradual sun set and then hit your eyes with all the blue light! This delays the onset of deep sleep.

  • Overthinking revs up your nervous system

When the world quiets down but you confuse your body by doomscrolling on your phone, your brain becomes overactive. Suddenly, its 1 AM, three hours post-bedtime, and you decide now you’ll go to sleep, but your brain won’t shut off. It sees this as the perfect time to replay embarrassing moments from high school, map out the next five years of your life, or dissect the meaning of a text your partner sent. This doubles down on the delay of quality sleep with an activated sympathetic nervous system (your stress response), preventing deep relaxation.

How to break the cycle and actually sleep well

If you’re tired of feeling exhausted but hyper-aware at the same time, it’s time to rethink your pre-sleep routine.

  • Set a “last call” for screens

Commit to turning off your devices 30-60 minutes before bed. If you can do anything longer than this, even better! With all the distractions it offers, we don’t need to clock into Instagram before bed. Need to ease into this habit? Set a ‘Night mode’ on your phone that automatically turns on every night, signalling it’s time to unwind.

  • Replace mindless scrolling with a sleep ritual

Swap your usual doom scrolling for a low-stimulation activity—light stretching, listening to calming music, or reading a book (preferably not on your phone). These activities help your brain ease into sleep mode.

  • Create a “brain dump”

This tip is particularly useful for those who can’t seem to mute the racing thoughts. Set aside 5 minutes to dump your brain on paper - whether it's documenting your day or jotting down tomorrow’s to-do list. It might be helpful to do this before a low-stimulation activity to avoid residual emotions or worries from bothering your mind.

Breaking the cycle of restless nights isn’t all about discipline - it’s about designing a routine that actually works for your brain. By being intentional about how you transition into sleep, you can wake up feeling rested, not regretful.

With warmth and encouragement,

Ruchi.

Madeleine Stone