Most of us sleep with our phones beside our bed, but the world’s leading sleep experts say we shouldn’t.
Phones have become inextricably linked to how we live in the modern world: a point of contact for friends and family, entertainment when we’re bored, access to news and views from every corner of the globe, and - for many of us - a morning alarm clock.
It’s become harder than ever for people to switch off at night. Blue light, emitted by screens and LED lights, suppresses melatonin, the hormone regulating sleep, which disrupts circadian rhythms and makes it harder to fall asleep. Exposure to blue light at night tricks the brain into staying alert, delaying sleep onset and reducing sleep quality.
Something as seemingly innocent as a quick check of the email inbox or a scroll on social media can have a big impact on the quality of our sleep. Processing this type of information can lead to spikes in cortisol, the stress hormone, which leave our bodies in a state of fight or flight, without us even realising it. High cortisol then prevents the body from entering deep sleep, hampering rest and recovery. Screen use just 30 minutes before bed can reduce the amount of REM sleep we get that night by up to 25 per cent.
“Athletes removing phones from their bedroom saw significantly improved sleep quality indices of up to 60 per cent, with reductions in cortisol of up to 20 per cent,” says Dr Allie Hare, President of the British Sleep Society and Tatler’s Top Doctor for Sleep Medicine.
“This significantly improves injury recovery rates as well as athletic performance.”
That’s where Zebble comes in.
Zebble is a beautifully simple bedside pebble designed to help you switch off from your phone while still staying reachable by the people who matter most. It can also be used as your alarm and provides access to sleep sounds, breathwork, and expert guidance from some of the world’s leading doctors in sleep and wellbeing.
Zebble users are able to stay contactable in an emergency and keep to their wake-up routines, without the need for their phone to be in the room with them overnight.
No phone in sight, but still reachable. That leads to better sleep.
