Let's make
Screen-Free Sleep
the norm
A Screenagers campaign to keep devices out of kids’ bedrooms for sleep time. Youth are facing a sleep crisis, and devices in the bedroom at night are a major cause. Together we can fix this!
From the team behind
About the Campaign
Our campaign aims to make screen-free sleep for kids the norm, by encouraging parents to ensure devices like phones and tablets are out of kids' bedrooms at sleep time. Our founders Lisa Tabb and Delaney Ruston, MD introduce the campaign in this video:
Screen-Free Sleep founders, Lisa Tabb and Delaney Ruston, MD
The Problem
Over the past decade, youth mental health, academics, and social well-being have declined.
A major reason is sleep loss from devices in bedrooms at night.
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
Our Solution
Screen-Free Sleep helps parents of elementary and middle school children create tech-free bedrooms during sleep time, a practice that can continue into the high school years.
The science is clear: when devices stay out of bedrooms, kids sleep more and do better academically, physically, and emotionally.
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.
Activate Your Community
There are simple ways you can help grow the Screen-Free Sleep movement:
Take the Pledge: Show your commitment and inspire other parents.
Activate in your child’s school or other community: Learn about all the resources we have to help do this.
Together, we can make screen-free sleep the seatbelt of our time, a commonsense practice that protects kids every night.
iSleep Pro
iSleep Pro kits were created as a fun way to share the Screen-Free Sleep message at school and community events and to spark meaningful family conversations at home. Watch the video of the campaign launch in New York City, August 2025:
Screen-Free Sleep Campaign Launch - New York City, August 2025
Our Team
The Screen-Free Sleep campaign has been created by the Screenagers team, a group of dedicated professionals and parents committed to supporting youth well-being.
The campaign is led by Delaney Ruston, MD, and Lisa Tabb, creators of the four Screenagers films and founders of the Away for the Day campaign, launched in 2017 to keep phones out of schools.
The Screen-Free Sleep effort is strengthened by an advisory team that includes leading sleep expert Lauren Hale, PhD, Professor at Stony Brook University and Founding Editor in Chief of the Sleep Health journal, and Judith Owens, MD, MPH, Director of Sleep Medicine at Boston Children’s Hospital.
Delaney Ruston, MD
Delaney Ruston is a physician, filmmaker, and international speaker who has spent decades exploring the intersection of technology, mental health, and youth development. She wrote and directed all four Screenagers films, screened in over 102 countries, and co-created the Away For The Day and Screen-Free Sleep Campaigns.
Committed to improving mental health for youth and adults, she has received multiple awards and given over 250 presentations at venues such as the World Health Organization, the United Nations, and the Aspen Ideas Festival.
Frequently featured in outlets like Good Morning America, PBS NewsHour, and The New York Times, Ruston also works as a primary care doctor for teens and adults, where she advocates strongly for safeguarding youth sleep.
Lisa Tabb
Lisa Tabb is a producer, media entrepreneur, and co-director of the Screenagers series. With a background in journalism, brand strategy, event production, and strategic partnerships, she brings a dynamic skill set to the campaigns she leads.
As co-founder of Away for the Day she works closely with schools, parent groups, and youth organizations to create real-world change in how families approach technology.
Together with the larger Screenagers team, made up of outreach coordinators, educators, creative partners, and researchers, she is dedicated to sparking meaningful conversations and building community-driven solutions for healthy tech habits.
Take the pledge and give the gift of Screen-Free Sleep to your child tonight!
Take the pledge!
I pledge YES to keep devices out of my child’s bedroom for sleep time
