A wind-down half hour
Give yourself a calm 30 minutes before bed for 2 weeks: lights low, phone down, something relaxing. Then see what your sleep says.
A calm bedtime routine can help you get ready for sleep, the NHS says. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine suggests a relaxing routine, less bright light in the evening and switching devices off 30 minutes before bed. Reading, gentle music, a podcast or a few slow breaths all count.
Putting the phone down is simply part of the calm. A National Sleep Foundation panel didn't reach agreement that screen light before bed harms adults' sleep, though it agreed that sensible screen habits may ease any effect they have.
For 14 days, start winding down at the same point each evening. Pajdo compares how long you sleep, how steady your sleep start time is, and wake-ups with your usual nights, all from your Apple Watch. The watch counts some time awake as sleep, so how rested you feel counts too.
One person's 2 weeks is a hint, not proof. Plenty else changes from night to night, so if you spot a difference, it's worth running it again.
Try this
Start winding down 30 minutes before your usual bedtime for 14 days: dim lights, phone away, something calm.
Worth a try
Give your evening a slow finish
The NHS says a calm bedtime routine can help you prepare for sleep, and suggests reading, breathing exercises or calming music. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends a relaxing routine and limiting bright light in the evening. The National Sleep Foundation suggests dimming the lights as bedtime gets closer.
Try it: pick a wind-down start time before your usual bedtime. Dim the lights, put your phone to bed somewhere out of reach, and do the same calm thing each night so it becomes a cue.
Keep reading
Sources
- How to fall asleep faster and sleep better, NHS Every Mind Matters
- Healthy Sleep Habits, American Academy of Sleep Medicine
- The impact of screen use on sleep health across the lifespan: A National Sleep Foundation consensus statement (Hartstein et al. 2024, Sleep Health), National Sleep Foundation
- Estimating Sleep Stages from Apple Watch (updated October 2025), Apple
- How to Make a Sleep-Friendly Bedroom, National Sleep Foundation
Checked against these sources on September 15, 2026.
This is general wellness information, not medical advice. If a number worries you, or stays away from your usual for a while, talk to a doctor.