Late-night smartphone use often begins with the thought “just five more minutes” – checking your feed, watching videos, going through chats or emails. But that “just a bit more” easily turns into an hour or longer, and the phone becomes the last thing you see before sleep and the first thing you reach for in the morning.
From an Ayurvedic perspective, this behaviour disrupts dinacharya – a balanced daily routine in which proper sleep plays an important role. Late sessions on social media, news and entertainment videos constantly stimulate the brain and stop it from “switching off” and preparing for rest.
Ayurvedacharya Dr Pratan Chauhan emphasises that late phone use destroys the natural rhythm of the night. To gradually give up this habit, he recommends setting up your own “digital sunset” – deciding on a time before bed after which you no longer use gadgets. To begin with, you can start with at least 30 minutes, switch off notifications, keep your phone out of bed and avoid emotionally intense content.
Instead of mindless scrolling, it is worth creating a calming evening ritual. This could be a few pages of a paper book, breathing exercises, quiet music, a short meditation or peaceful reflection. In Ayurveda’s view, consistency matters most: a simple but regular bedtime routine works better than complex practices done only now and then.
Another tip is not to carry tomorrow’s stress into bed. Checking work messages, negative news or comparing yourself with others on social media only keeps your mind on high alert. It is helpful to introduce a short “evening review”: write down tasks for tomorrow, note what you’ve accomplished during the day and consciously draw a line under work-related thoughts. A calm, tidy bedroom further helps to build an association between bed and rest.
Experts stress that the problem does not lie in the technology itself, but in the fact that we allow it to dictate the end of our day. The Ayurvedic approach urges us to notice when the modern pace of life interferes with the body’s natural periods of recovery. There is no need to give up your smartphone completely, but it is important to set boundaries – especially in the evening, before sleep.
Before opening one more video or checking your messages at night, ask yourself: are you consciously managing your screen time, or are you handing over your sleep to it?
This material is for information only and is not a substitute for medical advice. If you have problems with sleep or your mental state, you should consult a specialist.