Choose a stopping point before the evening starts
NHS guidance suggests avoiding phones, tablets and computers for an hour before bed and choosing a relaxing activity instead. Treat that as a habit to plan around, rather than a guarantee that a particular routine will make you fall asleep.
Decide which final task genuinely needs the screen: setting an alarm, checking tomorrow’s journey or responding to an essential message. Complete it before the planned stopping point so it does not become a reason to restart browsing.
Move the device out of the bedtime sequence
Choose a place to leave the phone that fits your household and any essential contact needs. Consider the charger, alarm and necessary alerts together. A plan that ignores those practical needs is more likely to be abandoned.
Prepare an alternative before putting the device down: a book, quiet audio or another familiar activity. The point is to make a transition possible, not to replace one demanding task with a complicated new bedtime checklist.
Review interruptions, not just minutes
Note what brings you back to the screen: automatic alerts, work expectations or a habit of checking the time. Address that specific trigger in the next evening’s arrangement instead of judging success only by the length of a screen-free period.
If sleep difficulties persist or interfere with daily life, seek advice from a health professional. Changing phone habits can be part of a routine, but it does not explain every sleep problem or replace individual assessment.