Let's make
Screen-Free Sleep
the norm
With the rise in tech, a sleep crisis among youth has emerged. Having devices out of kids’ bedrooms for sleep means more sleep which supports brain development, mental health, and much more. Pledge “YES” to screen-free sleep, and encourage others to do the same.
The Problem
Over the past decade, sleep has sharply declined for our youth, in part due to screen use during bedtime. This loss of sleep in has contributed to worsening school performance and mental health.
The team behind the four Screenagers movies and the Away for the Day campaign (phones out of schools) is now focused on bringing a solution to this problem.
1 in 4
Most tweens sleep with a cellphone in their bedroom and 1 in 4 sleep with it in their hand!
Source: Life in Media Survey
2.3x
Not using, just having a device in the bedroom makes kids 2.3x more likely to feel tired during the next day.
Source: JAMA Pediatrics
51%
…of teenagers are getting less than 7 hours of sleep most nights.
Source: Monitoring the Future
The Solution
Give healthy sleep back to kids by making screen-free sleep the norm. Our national campaign to get tech out of the bedroom during sleep time has now launched!
Aimed at parents, particularly of elementary and middle schoolers, we can create healthy practices that extend into the high school years too. If you are a parent pledge YES to screen-free sleep now.
Pledging to keep devices out of the bedroom during sleep hours benefits brain development, attention, moods and more!
1. Ensure your child’s bedroom is device free for bedtime.
Keep all tech devices out of the bedroom during sleep hours including tablets, laptops, cellphones, smartwatches, gaming devices… even smart speakers (sorry, Alexa!).
Keep only non-internet-connected items, like a noise machine, in the room.
2. Provide your child a simple alarm clock.
An alarm clock, with no smart features or wifi connectivity eliminates distractions.
Tick-tocks over TikTok every night!
3. Sleep until the beep!
Store devices in a secure spot, such as a parent’s bedroom, rather than a common room.
This reduces temptation to sneak use.
We know there can be challenges so here are some useful tips:
Even if a child isn’t currently tempted by devices during sleep time, this can change rapidly, particularly as they get older and smartphones, social media and messaging may become part of their lives.
If this is a new routine, pushback is normal! But once this is in place, quality of sleep and quality of life improve, both now and into the future.
It is okay if parents keep devices in the bedroom. Adults have different responsibilities, (i.e., emergencies) and privileges.
However, parents who do model screen-free sleep, help reinforce the message and benefit from better sleep as well.
Help Grow the Movement
There are simple ways you can help grow the Screen-Free Sleep movement. Start by inviting three friends to visit this site, where they can learn more and sign the pledge too.
You can also share our iSleep Pro kits with parents at schools, sports programs, and community events of every kind. If you’re part of an organization, reach out! We’ll provide customized, practical ways to help spread screen-free sleep.
Finally, spread the word to groups who care about kids’ health and wellbeing: parent networks, schools, health departments, youth coalitions, prevention organizations, hospitals, children’s associations, mental health groups, and more.
iSleep Pro
Learn more about our awareness campaign in NYC where we took over the streets to help people WAKE UP to the youth sleep crisis.
Take the pledge and give the gift of Screen-Free Sleep to your family tonight!
Take the pledge!
Pledge YES to SCREEN-FREE SLEEP for kids
