Sleep Better Tonight: Your Rest Revolution
Sleep Hygiene is something many of us struggle with, yet the science of happiness and well-being has revealed powerful strategies that can make a real difference.
Delaying smartphone and social media access reduces exposure to addictive and harmful content during critical brain development periods
In this guide, we’ll explore evidence-based approaches to sleep hygiene, drawing on the latest research in positive psychology and behavioral science. You’ll learn practical strategies you can implement today, backed by studies from leading researchers in the field.
Whether you’re just starting your wellness journey or looking to deepen your practice, these insights will help you make meaningful progress.
Understanding Sleep Hygiene
Before diving into strategies, it’s important to understand why sleep hygiene matters for our overall well-being.
Delaying high-friction apps gives kids more time for sleep, in-person friendships, and skill-building—key drivers of well-being. It strengthens autonomy-and-mastery by pacing exposure, and supports mental health when executive function is still developing.
The connection between sleep hygiene and happiness is well-documented in research. When we actively work on this area of our lives, we often see ripple effects in other domains—from our relationships to our work performance.
Research insight: Delaying smartphone and social media access reduces exposure to addictive and harmful content during critical brain development periods (Haidt, 2024)
Strategy 1: Social Media Delay
Delaying high-friction apps gives kids more time for sleep, in-person friendships, and skill-building—key drivers of well-being. It strengthens autonomy-and-mastery by pacing exposure, and supports mental health when executive function is still developing.
How to apply this:
Write and send a 14/16 Tech Plan email to your co-parent and 2–3 close parent friends committing to smartphone at 14, social media at 16, and a basic phone/watch until then.
Strategy 2: Family Norms
Co-created rules improve connection and self-regulation. This bolsters autonomy-and-mastery while protecting mental health from sleep loss and comparison-driven distress.
How to apply this:
Download a Common Sense Media template and draft your family’s first-version media agreement in 20 minutes; add one rule for sleep (no devices in bedrooms) and one for social (phones down during dinner).
Strategy 3: Emotion Regulation
Regular reflection supports emotion regulation and healthier media habits, protecting mental well-being. It also strengthens connection by making you a safe, nonjudgmental sounding board.
How to apply this:
Right after your child’s next screen session, ask three open-ended questions: What did you notice? How did it make you feel? What do you want to do differently next time? Keep it curious for 10 minutes.
What the Research Shows
The strategies we’ve discussed aren’t just anecdotal—they’re backed by rigorous scientific research. Here’s what the evidence tells us:
Key findings:
- Half of American teenagers say they are online almost constantly: Smartphone adoption and social media use since 2010 (Jonathan Haidt citing surveys)
- Snapchat receives 10,000 reports of sextortion from American kids each month: Risks of dangerous interactions on social media (Internal memos from Snapchat revealed in lawsuits)
- Sleep duration dropped after 2012 correlating with increased screen time: Correlational research linking social media and internet browsing before bedtime to sleep problems (Various correlational studies discussed by Jonathan Haidt)
- Sleep duration dropped after 2012 correlating with increased screen time: Correlational research linking social media and internet browsing before bedtime to sleep problems (Various correlational studies discussed by Jonathan Haidt)
- 70-80% of people experience a life-threatening event; only 8-10% develop PTSD: Prevalence of trauma and PTSD in the general population (Epidemiological data referenced by Dr. Sue Varma)
Research insights:
Delaying smartphone and social media access reduces exposure to addictive and harmful content during critical brain development periods — Haidt, 2024
Half of American teenagers say they are online almost constantly — Haidt, 2024
Sleep duration dropped after 2012 correlating with increased screen time — Twenge et al., 2019
Snapchat receives 10,000 reports of sextortion from American kids each month — Snap Inc. internal memos (reported)
Putting It Into Practice
Knowing the science is one thing—putting it into practice is another. Here’s how to start:
Start small: Pick just one strategy from this guide and commit to trying it for a week. Small, consistent actions compound over time.
Track your progress: Notice how you feel before and after implementing these practices. Awareness helps reinforce positive habits.
Be patient: Meaningful change takes time. Research shows it can take anywhere from 18 to 254 days to form a new habit, with an average of 66 days.
Get support: Consider using tools designed to help you build these habits. Apps like Neurise provide personalized, science-backed recommendations tailored to your specific needs and goals.
Quick-start actions:
- Write and send a 14/16 Tech Plan email to your co-parent and 2–3 close parent friends committing to smartphone at 14, social media at 16, and a basic …
- Download a Common Sense Media template and draft your family’s first-version media agreement in 20 minutes; add one rule for sleep (no devices in bedr…
- Right after your child’s next screen session, ask three open-ended questions: What did you notice? How did it make you feel? What do you want to do di…
Conclusion
Improving sleep hygiene is a journey, not a destination. The strategies we’ve explored in this guide—backed by research from leading scientists in positive psychology—offer a roadmap for meaningful progress.
Remember that small, consistent actions often outperform ambitious but unsustainable efforts. Start with one technique that resonates with you, practice it until it feels natural, then gradually expand your repertoire.
The science is clear: we have more control over our well-being than we often realize. By applying evidence-based strategies, you can make real progress toward a happier, more fulfilling life.
Take the Next Step
Ready to put these insights into action? Neurise makes it easy with personalized, science-backed recommendations delivered daily. Our app learns what works for you and helps you build lasting habits for happiness and well-being.
Download Neurise and start your journey to a happier life today.
Sources
- Haidt, 2024. The Anxious Generation. https://www.amazon.com/dp/0593644117
- Twenge et al., 2019. A study of trends in sleep among American adolescents. https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244018821913
- Snap Inc. internal memos (reported). Reports on sextortion incidents.
- Common Sense Media guidance. Common Sense Media digital parenting research. https://www.commonsensemedia.org/
- Murphy et al., 2021. Common Sense Media digital parenting research. https://www.commonsensemedia.org/research
- Turkle, 2017. Reclaiming Conversation: The Power of Talk in a Digital Age. https://www.amazon.com/dp/0143121991
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- Kross et al., 2014. Chatter: The Voice in Our Head, Why It Matters, and How to Harness It. https://www.ethankross.com/chatter
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