When to Stop Looking at Screens Before Bed
About an hour before bedtime. Scrolling in bed feels relaxing but quietly pushes your whole clock later. Here is when to put the screens away.
Your time
9:30 PM
Even dim screen light now delays melatonin and pushes your whole clock later. Dim the lights and step away.
The science
Even moderate screen light in the evening suppresses melatonin — the hormone that opens your sleep gate — and tricks your brain into thinking the day is not over yet. That delays when you actually feel sleepy and shortens your night.
Stepping away from screens about an hour before bed lets melatonin rise on schedule. That cutoff is tied to your bedtime, which the tool derives from your wake time.
Frequently asked questions
Do night-mode and blue-light filters fix the problem?
They help a little by cutting blue wavelengths, but brightness and the stimulation of the content itself still keep your brain alert. Dimming and stepping away is far more effective than relying on a filter.
What should I do instead in that last hour?
Dim the lights and do something low-stimulation — reading on paper, stretching, a warm shower, or simply winding down. The goal is to let melatonin rise without bright light fighting it.
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