unhackchildhood.com/topics/sleep-screens · Reviewed September 24, 2026
DO THIS FIRST
Take back some control.
- 01
Set a lights-out time together at a calm moment, not at bedtime. Count back from the wake-up time: the American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends 9 to 12 hours a day for ages 6 to 12 and 8 to 10 hours for ages 13 to 18.
- 02
Choose one charging spot outside the bedrooms, like the kitchen counter. Every phone and tablet sleeps there overnight, including the grown-ups’ phones.
- 03
Put screens away about an hour before bed. Fill that time with a wind-down routine: a shower, a paper book, music, or a journal.
- 04
Back the plan up with the phone’s own settings. Schedule quiet hours with Screen Time on iPhone or Family Link on Android, and turn on a Sleep Focus or Bedtime mode so alerts stay quiet overnight.
- 05
Get a basic alarm clock, so no one needs a phone by the bed to wake up on time.
FOR STUDENTS
No shame. Just the next move.
- Being tired is common, not a personal failing. In 2025, only about 1 in 4 high school students got at least 8 hours of sleep on an average school night.
- Count back from your alarm. For a 6:30 a.m. wake-up, 8 to 10 hours of sleep means lights out between 8:30 and 10:30 p.m., and falling asleep takes a little time too.
- Help write the plan. You know which apps and group chats keep you up. A Sleep Focus or Bedtime mode keeps late alerts quiet, and on iPhone it can let people know you are not available.
FOR PARENTS
Contain first. Debrief later.
- Go first. Put your own phone on the family charger at night. The AAP notes that when parents model the habit, the whole family settles into a calmer nighttime routine.
- Make the plan with your child, not for them. The AAP Family Media Plan lets you pick priorities together, then print or share the finished plan.
- Make it fair both ways. The AAP suggests making a pact to quit late-night scrolling together, and even letting your child hold you to the same screen limits.
- Keep a way to reach each other. Scheduled limits can leave calls and chosen contacts available, so your child can still reach you.
- Revisit the plan at set times, like the start of the school year and school breaks, instead of renegotiating every night. If sleep trouble continues, talk with your pediatrician.
TRUSTED NEXT STOPS
Official help and reporting.
Reviewed September 24, 2026. External guidance changes; confirm time-sensitive steps on the linked official site.
SET IT UP