Did you know people spend, on average, 7 hours per day on screens, including phones, computers, TVs, and tablets, globally? That’s around 44% of your waking day exposed to visual stimulation that can increase the likelihood of eye strain, stress, anxiety, and sleep disturbance.
Reducing your screen time before bed is an easy and effective way to improve your life and sleep quality by reducing blue light exposure that disrupts the natural sleep-wake cycle. Even reducing your screen time at least an hour before sleeping allows your brain the opportunity to signal your body that it should start slowing down for the night.
Below are some fun activities to do an hour before bedtime to replace your screen time and improve your sleep quality.
Coloring Pages
Doing adult coloring pages is a popular and time-friendly activity to do before bedtime. It engages the brain in a focused, meditative way, helping to reduce stress and anxiety by promoting mindfulness and lowering cortisol levels. Unlike screen-based activities, which emit stimulating blue light, coloring allows the mind to unwind and prepare for restful sleep. The repetitive motion and attention to detail can also soothe the nervous system, enhancing relaxation. The great thing about coloring is the ability to do it at your own pace with the colors you want. Even just starting with 20 minutes, or however long you’re comfortable with, will significantly reduce your stress over the long term and hone your creativity skills. If you have kids, this is also a fun way to bond with them without relying on screens, as you can find a range of different coloring pages to suit all levels.
Escape Room at Home
An Escape Room at Home is a fun interactive activity where players solve puzzles, riddles, and challenges within a themed scenario, aiming to “escape” or complete an objective within a set time. This makes it an ideal, time specific way to make sure you also get to bed on time! Designed with everyday materials, these DIY escape rooms encourage problem-solving, critical thinking, and teamwork, making them a mentally stimulating and engaging alternative to screen time with the family. Unlike digital activities that can overstimulate the brain, this hands-on activity helps redirect mental energy away from daily stressors to focus on creativity and somatic play. Completing the activity offers a sense of accomplishment, leaving you mentally satisfied and better prepared for a good night’s sleep.
Study a Dead Language
For those who prefer reading or history, studying a dead language such as Latin, Ancient Greek, or Sanskrit can be a fun take on this and provide a routine you can create before bedtime. Studying this involves exploring languages that are no longer spoken in daily life but hold rich historical, cultural, and intellectual significance. Engaging in this before bedtime can be a beneficial replacement for screen time, as it combines the process of learning new words, deciphering texts, and understanding linguistic structures, which encourages focus and cognitive engagement without the overstimulation caused by screens. It also provides a sense of accomplishment and connection to history, which can be both fulfilling and calming. This mindful, low-pressure activity helps transition the brain from the stimulations of the day to a more restful state.
Kintsugi
Kintsugi, the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold, celebrates imperfections by transforming damaged items into unique and beautiful pieces. Practicing Kintsugi before bedtime can be a meaningful alternative to screen time. The process of carefully piecing together broken fragments and applying gold resin requires focus, patience, and gentle hands, promoting mindfulness and reducing stress. There is also a symbolic element to doing it before bedtime that represents the process to recover and repair. Unlike screens, which can overstimulate with digital distractions, Kintsugi encourages quiet reflection and a slower pace. This meditative practice fosters gratitude for imperfection and resilience, leaving you with a sense of reflection and peace.
Comic Book Journaling
While writing in a journal isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, drawing a comic book about your life as a form of journal reflection combines storytelling, creativity, and self-expression, making it a therapeutic and screen-free activity to do before bed. Translating your daily experiences into simple sketches and dialogue allows you to process emotions and events light-heartedly and visually. This practice engages your imagination and helps organize thoughts, providing clarity and closure to the day.
No matter what screen-free activity you pick before bedtime, the important thing to keep in mind is one that is enjoyable and fun to you! While living in an always-on digital world has its benefits, we must remember to log off both physically and mentally for our brain so we can start the new day as healthy as you can be.
