screen time and sleep: what the research actually shows

Blue light from phones and tablets delays melatonin release and pushes back sleep onset by measurable amounts in controlled trials.

More adults now work from home or stream content late into the evening, which keeps screens in bedrooms longer than five years ago. That shift has drawn fresh attention from sleep researchers tracking circadian disruption in urban populations.

Local programs address the issue

The Wake County Public Health Division runs free workshops at the Chavis Community Center on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard that teach residents how to set device curfews. The Raleigh YMCA on Hillsborough Street added evening classes this spring that combine light yoga with instructions on dimming screens after 9 p.m.

Both sites report steady attendance from adults in the Oakwood and Five Points neighborhoods, where many participants live within walking distance of their jobs in downtown offices.

What the data show

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2022 National Health Interview Survey found that 14.5 percent of U.S. adults report trouble falling asleep on most nights. Studies cited in that survey link evening screen exposure to longer time to fall asleep and shorter total sleep time.

Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have noted that even one hour of phone use in a dark room can shift circadian timing enough to reduce next-day alertness.

Residents who want to test changes can start by enabling night-mode filters at 8 p.m. and charging devices outside the bedroom. The Wake County program also offers printed checklists that list simple steps such as swapping late scrolling for reading on paper.

Those who continue to struggle with sleep are advised to speak with a primary-care provider at Duke Raleigh Hospital or another local clinic for personalized guidance.