Screen Time and Sleep: What the Research Actually Shows

Adults in Raleigh who spend more than two hours on screens after 9 p.m. report 28 percent less deep sleep on average, according to a 2025 analysis by the North Carolina Sleep Society.

The finding arrives as local wellness programs expand and residents juggle work emails, streaming, and social feeds well into the evening. Wake County health officials note that sleep complaints rose 19 percent at county clinics between 2023 and 2025, prompting new outreach on evening habits.

Programs at the Cameron Village YMCA on Hillsborough Street now include weekly workshops on device curfews, while the Raleigh Parks and Recreation department runs evening classes at Dorothea Dix Park that teach participants to log screen time alongside steps and heart rate. Both sites report steady enrollment from downtown workers and students at nearby North Carolina State University.

Blue light timing and local patterns

Research published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine in March 2025 tracked 1,200 adults across four cities and found that exposure to blue light within 90 minutes of bedtime delayed melatonin onset by 42 minutes. In Raleigh the average resident logs 3.1 hours of screen time after dinner, according to anonymized data from a local health app used by 8,400 Wake County residents.

Participants who replaced phone scrolling with paper books or dimmed-room conversations showed measurable gains within two weeks, the study reported.

Practical steps residents can test tonight

Start by enabling night-shift modes on phones and laptops at 8 p.m. and charging devices outside the bedroom. The Cameron Village YMCA workshop on July 15 will demonstrate free apps that track evening usage and set automatic shutoffs. Residents who want in-person guidance can visit the Dorothea Dix Park wellness desk before 7 p.m. any weekday for printed checklists.

Those with ongoing sleep trouble should consult a physician at a local clinic rather than relying solely on lifestyle changes.