The gadget that forced me to put my phone down and become a better sleeper
Like most Millennials/Gen Z types, I am obsessed with my phone.
It's not really a shameful statement to make anymore, given just how many of us are obsessed with our phones, but it still feels uncomfortable knowing how much time I spend looking at the little device. While I'm not on it 10 hours a day, my four or five still feel wasteful when I get the 'Screen Time' recap notification at the end of every week, and only find my hours increasing.
Going into 2023, I decided I was going to do something about it – if only to rid myself of the weird guilt of looking at the thing constantly. While this resulted in a bit of trial-and-error, the best thing I've done for myself so far was buy a lockbox specifically for phones and people who want to be on them less.
While my relationship with my phone is still dependent, I have noticed small improvements in the month I've been trying to reduce my screen time – mostly when it comes to sleep.
Note: Prices are accurate at time of publishing.
ySky Portable Phone Timer Lock Box
The ysky Portable Phone Timer Lock Box is designed to fit your phone inside, and has an auto-locking mechanism that can shut it away for a predetermined amount of time. The maximum amount of time is 100 hours, but I've rarely ever used it for more than one or two.
Made of durable plastic, the device has a hingeing plastic door that has three fingertip-sized holes in it. These can be used to access the phone during emergencies, but their odd shaping makes it hard to do much other than make a quick call or check the time. The holes also came covered by a plastic sticker, which I've left in place to help reduce temptation.
The timer setting is simple to use, with up and down arrows to set hours and minutes, and a large lock button, which you press twice to activate the lock and the timer countdown. You can hit this again to check the time left on it, but when it runs out, you'll hear a small whirring noise, and the box will unlock itself.
The first time I locked it away, I picked a modest 20-minute period, and found myself feeling very lost for the entirety of it. And to be honest, sometimes locking my phone away cold turkey hasn't been the most productive choice, as I've pretty much just sat and waited, fidgeting, until the whirring noise goes off and I could pick it up again.
However, it has been instrumental in improving my sleeping habits.
How I used the lockbox
I think we all know by now how bad it is for us to be on screens in the lead-up to bedtime. Extensive research has been done on the topic, and we know that the blue light emitted by screens suppresses melatonin, the hormone that helps us drift off to sleep at night.
I started using the lockbox at night after a few busy weeks where I knew I needed to catch up on sleep. I'd lock it away half an hour before I planned to sleep, and pick up a book instead, reading until my eyes got heavy. Drifting off, I felt much less tense in my body and much less erratic in my thoughts. I soon noticed on nights I put this plan in place, I'd wake up less throughout the night, and would usually then rise naturally after around eight hours, often before my alarm.
While decreasing my screen time is still a work in progress, I'm feeling so much better for buying the lockbox to help me. I have so much more energy, a little more space in my brain, and I'm finally getting through my giant 'to be read' pile, too. It's amazing what a good night's sleep can do.
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