A good night’s sleep is essential for waking up rested and ready for the new day, but for many of us, it’s not as simple as it seems. If you wake up groggy, there are expert tips for getting a better night’s sleep, and one of them is to be more conscious of screen use before bed. This means avoiding screens for at least an hour before bed, including computers, television, and your smartphone.
Of course, this is much easier said than done. Much of your life takes place on your devices, and for many people, doomscrolling is part of the nightly routine, although it’s certainly not a healthy habit. One way to avoid unnecessary distractions and phone use at night is to put your phone in Do Not Disturb mode to turn off notifications. However, there is an even better and equally simple option: Airplane mode.
By putting your phone in Airplane mode before bed, you’re not just blocking all notifications: you’re completely disconnecting from your cellular network. While Wi-Fi and Bluetooth signals can still pass through, it’s also easy to turn them off for a distraction-free night. Your alarms will still work when your device is in Airplane mode, so you can count on your phone to wake you up without disturbing your sleep.
Airplane mode is better for healthy sleep than Do Not Disturb mode
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Do not disturb has its advantages. It’s designed to block notifications, giving you the ability to customize what’s filtered and create your own modes for things like sleeping, working, and driving. However, it’s not always that difficult for someone trying to contact you to go through Do Not Disturb. Priority notifications are usually delivered anyway, as are repeated calls or text messages when the sender clicks the Notify Anyway option. It’s useful in emergency situations, but 99% of the time it’s more distracting than useful.
Airplane mode has another key advantage over Do Not Disturb mode: it’s better for your phone’s battery. Since putting your device in Airplane mode turns off your cell, your phone won’t spend all night trying to find and keep a signal, which is especially useful if you live in a place without strong, consistent service.
Additionally, Airplane mode is a great digital detox tool, especially if you turn off access to the internet and social media completely. Most of us spend way too much time looking at screens, and while it’s often unavoidable, the hour before bed is a good time to cut back. It will be difficult to break the nighttime routine of checking your phone right before bed, but Airplane mode can help you form better habits and get a healthier night’s sleep.
