Don't Take Your Phone to Bed — Here's Why Psychologists Say It's Better Left in the Bathroom
The moment most people wake up, their first instinct is to reach for their phone. It’s understandable—phones often double as alarm clocks, and even without an alarm, they’re the go-to device for checking the time. But according to a lifestyle coach, this seemingly harmless habit can deeply affect your mental and physical well-being. Her recommendation? “No matter what, don’t sleep with your phone next to your head. If you must, leave it in the bathroom before going to bed.” So why is this routine so concerning? Author and lifestyle expert Mel Robbins breaks it down.
While appearing on Oprah Winfrey’s show, Mel Robbins discussed the negative impact of keeping your phone close while sleeping. She noted, “Plenty of studies have already shown how your phone can affect your body and disturb your sleep. But that’s not my main concern. What really matters is what happens after you wake up.”
When you sleep with your phone next to you, chances are the first thing you look at after opening your eyes is the screen. According to Mel Robbins, this habit immediately begins to disrupt your mental peace the moment you wake up.
She explains, “You sleep with your phone beside you. The alarm goes off. You pick up your phone. And before you’ve even sat up in bed—before your eyes are fully open—the entire world, along with countless influencers and social media updates, has barged into your bedroom. You start checking messages, then emails. And when you begin to feel exhausted just an hour after waking up, you wonder why it’s happening!”
Why the fatigue? Why the anxiety so early in the day? Mel says it’s because your mind is overloaded with information from the moment you wake up. And in all that noise, there’s no space left for you.
There’s also a scientific explanation behind this. The moment you look at your phone screen right after waking up, a part of your brain becomes active—known as the “stress response.” This response is triggered whenever the body or mind faces a challenge, whether real or imagined. Once activated, it increases the release of cortisol, the stress hormone. Elevated cortisol levels can, in turn, contribute to high blood pressure and feelings of anxiety.
But why would simply checking your phone feel like a challenge? Mel Robbins explains that anxiety levels in the brain are naturally higher in the morning. If you’ve experienced any kind of trauma in your life—whether it's poverty, humiliation, or emotional pain—that anxiety often surfaces first thing in the morning. This is known as "stored trauma." It varies from person to person—some feel it more intensely than others.
When you start scrolling through your phone and seeing various updates and news, it can trigger a “trauma response,” intensifying your anxiety. On the other hand, if you spend the first hour after waking up doing something else—like getting sunlight, going for a walk, or doing some light exercise—it significantly reduces this stress response.
Mel adds, “If you leave your phone in the bathroom, it’s out of reach—and your mind stays calmer.”
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While appearing on Oprah Winfrey’s show, Mel Robbins discussed the negative impact of keeping your phone close while sleeping. She noted, “Plenty of studies have already shown how your phone can affect your body and disturb your sleep. But that’s not my main concern. What really matters is what happens after you wake up.”
When you sleep with your phone next to you, chances are the first thing you look at after opening your eyes is the screen. According to Mel Robbins, this habit immediately begins to disrupt your mental peace the moment you wake up.
She explains, “You sleep with your phone beside you. The alarm goes off. You pick up your phone. And before you’ve even sat up in bed—before your eyes are fully open—the entire world, along with countless influencers and social media updates, has barged into your bedroom. You start checking messages, then emails. And when you begin to feel exhausted just an hour after waking up, you wonder why it’s happening!”
Why the fatigue? Why the anxiety so early in the day? Mel says it’s because your mind is overloaded with information from the moment you wake up. And in all that noise, there’s no space left for you.
There’s also a scientific explanation behind this. The moment you look at your phone screen right after waking up, a part of your brain becomes active—known as the “stress response.” This response is triggered whenever the body or mind faces a challenge, whether real or imagined. Once activated, it increases the release of cortisol, the stress hormone. Elevated cortisol levels can, in turn, contribute to high blood pressure and feelings of anxiety.
But why would simply checking your phone feel like a challenge? Mel Robbins explains that anxiety levels in the brain are naturally higher in the morning. If you’ve experienced any kind of trauma in your life—whether it's poverty, humiliation, or emotional pain—that anxiety often surfaces first thing in the morning. This is known as "stored trauma." It varies from person to person—some feel it more intensely than others.
When you start scrolling through your phone and seeing various updates and news, it can trigger a “trauma response,” intensifying your anxiety. On the other hand, if you spend the first hour after waking up doing something else—like getting sunlight, going for a walk, or doing some light exercise—it significantly reduces this stress response.
Mel adds, “If you leave your phone in the bathroom, it’s out of reach—and your mind stays calmer.”
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