What effect does phone use in bed have?

Just one hour on your phone in bed can raise your risk of insomnia by 59%.

That’s the key takeaway from a new study by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, which examined how nighttime screen habits affect young people’s sleep. Researchers found that using a smartphone or monitor after lights out not only shortens sleep by an hour — it can also lead to sleep loss from insomnia symptoms, totaling over 80 minutes of rest gone in one night.

The reason? Blue light, mental stimulation, and disrupted circadian rhythms. Even harmless habits — watching a funny video or reading news — interfere with your body’s natural sleep cycle.

The study relied on surveys, so more research is needed. But the findings match a growing body of evidence: screens and sleep don’t mix.

The fix? Simple. When it’s bedtime, put the phone away. No news, no notifications, no midnight scroll. Just sleep.