Chapter 1: The Problem with Phones and Sleep

In today's world, it might seem counterintuitive to use a second phone to tackle your phone addiction's impact on sleep. However, this strategy has its merits.

Photo by Adrian Swancar on Unsplash

My spouse has some rather quirky habits. She finds that diving into news articles or indulging in a Louis Theroux crime documentary helps her drift off to sleep. I can’t claim to be free of such habits either. One moment I’m setting a reminder, and the next, I'm engrossed in bizarre and fascinating facts. Did you know that horned lizards can deter predators by shooting blood from their eyes? I certainly didn’t until now.

Photo by Cynthia Beilmann on Unsplash

We often keep our phones nearby because we find it difficult to sit with our thoughts. I lovingly poke fun at my wife's high standards—if you’re reading this instead of sleeping, you might want to look up that term! With her relentless pursuit of perfection, I jokingly say she forfeits sleep if she can’t fall asleep the moment she closes her eyes.

After recently upgrading my phone, I discovered a solution within my old, now-simless device. It still functions as an alarm clock, and for a mere £5, I could reactivate it enough to send reminders to my new phone. More importantly, the new SIM keeps me unreachable for work-related calls, as it has a number that no one has.

Now, my old phone serves as an emergency device, only for my closest family members to contact. My current phone remains in the porch, and if I ever hear my old number ring, it triggers a sense of urgency because only the most significant people in my life possess that number.

P.S. If you believe your colleagues are vital, remember: if you were to pass away, your position would likely be filled within a week, but your family would mourn you forever.

Better than relying on an old phone for an alarm… consider a manual one! Photo by Benjamin Voros on Unsplash

Chapter 2: Embracing Change for Better Sleep

This first video explains how smartphones can severely disrupt your sleep patterns and offers practical tips on how to counteract this trend.

The second video explores the results of abstaining from cell phone usage before bedtime for two weeks, revealing significant improvements in sleep quality.