Why Doomscrolling Before Bed Leaves You Wired, Not Tired.
The quick answer: Doomscrolling before bed combines bright screen light with stressful content, which keeps your nervous system on alert just when it should be winding down. Putting the phone away 30 to 60 minutes before sleep, and giving your mind something calm to focus on instead, can make it easier to switch off.
You tell yourself it's just five minutes. Then it's midnight, your thumb is still moving, and your heart is racing over a headline you can't do anything about. If that sounds familiar, you're far from alone.
What is doomscrolling?
Doomscrolling is the habit of endlessly scrolling through bad news or upsetting content, even when it makes you feel worse. It often happens at night, in bed, when we're tired and our guard is down.
How common is doomscrolling at bedtime?
Very common. In a February 2026 survey by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 38% of adults said reading the news on their phone or tablet before bed made their sleep worse. That rose to 46% among 18 to 24 year olds.
The same survey found that half of adults use a screen in bed every day, and 26% put phone time ahead of getting enough sleep. The survey was of US adults, but the habit will feel familiar to many Australians too.
Why does scrolling at night make anxiety worse?
Two things happen at once. First, bright screen light signals to your body clock that it's still daytime, which can delay the natural wind-down towards sleep. Second, and often more important, the content itself puts your nervous system on alert.
When you read something alarming, your body responds as if there's a threat to deal with. Your heart rate and breathing can quicken, and your mind starts looping. That's a useful response in a real emergency, but not when you're lying in bed trying to rest.
Researchers are still working out which comes first: does doomscrolling cause anxiety, or do anxious people scroll more? Studies so far show the two tend to go together. Either way, breaking the loop at bedtime is a kind thing to do for yourself.
What can I do instead? A 30-minute wind-down routine
You don't have to give up your phone. Try this simple routine, starting half an hour before you want to be asleep.
- Set a screen curfew. Pick a time, 30 to 60 minutes before bed, when the phone goes down. An alarm on your phone can remind you.
- Move the phone out of reach. Charge it in another room if you can, and use a simple alarm clock instead.
- Silence notifications. If the phone stays in the room, turn on do not disturb so nothing pulls you back in.
- Slow your breathing. Breathe in gently for a count of four and out for a count of six, for a few minutes. Longer out-breaths help tell your body it's safe to relax.
- Give your mind somewhere calm to go. Read a paper book, write down tomorrow's worries so they're out of your head, or listen to a sleep story.
- Keep the same wake-up time. Getting up at the same time each day, even on weekends, helps your body know when to feel sleepy.
How can sleep stories help with bedtime anxiety?
A racing mind often needs a gentler place to land, not just silence. Sleep stories give your attention something soft and slow to follow, so there's less room for worries to loop.
That's why AVEIT creates FairyFrens sleep stories and meditations, made as an ElevenLabs Impact Partner. They're set in a calm, magical world designed to help your nervous system settle at the end of the day. You can listen free on YouTube.
Start tonight
Pick just one step from the routine above and try it tonight. Small changes, repeated, are what build a calmer bedtime.
Want more support? Download our free wellbeing guides, including Sleep Magic and The Boundaries Bible. If our work has helped you, you can support AVEIT, a registered health promotion charity working to prevent anxiety.
Frequently asked questions
Is doomscrolling before bed bad for sleep?
For many people, yes. Screen light and stressful content together keep the brain alert, making it harder to fall asleep and sleep deeply.
How long before bed should I stop using my phone?
Sleep experts suggest putting screens away 30 to 60 minutes before bed.
Does night mode stop the problem?
Night mode reduces some blue light, but it doesn't change what you're reading. Upsetting news can still keep your nervous system switched on.
Can doomscrolling cause anxiety?
Research shows doomscrolling and anxiety often go together, though it isn't yet clear which causes which. Cutting back at bedtime is a simple way to protect your rest.
What helps you fall asleep instead of scrolling?
Slow breathing with longer out-breaths, a paper book, journaling, or a calming sleep story can all help your mind wind down.
Where can I find free sleep stories?
AVEIT's FairyFrens sleep stories and meditations are free on YouTube at youtube.com/@fairyfrens.
This article is general information, not medical advice. If sleep problems or anxiety are affecting your daily life, please speak with your GP or a health professional.
Source: American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 23 February 2026.
