Scrolling through a mountain of holiday selfies on Instagram and checking LinkedIn updates first thing in the morning might feel harmless, but this instinctive reaction can have hidden consequences.
Let’s explore how this common habit could be affecting your mental and physical health – and why making screen-free mornings a priority should top your 2025 resolution list.
1. Impacts brain functioning
Diving into the blue light of our phones and sifting through countless notifications right after waking up can quickly lead to mental exhaustion.
“When you wake up, your brain is in a state called ‘sleep inertia’, a groggy transition between sleep and wakefulness. This is a delicate period when your cognitive functions are not yet fully restored,” explains Antonio Kalentzis, psychologist and British Psychological Society committee member.
“Grabbing your phone and flooding your brain with notifications, social media feeds, or emails overstimulates your prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for decision-making and impulse control.
“This barrage of information can lead to mental fatigue before you’ve even gotten out of bed, making your mind feel cluttered and less focused for the rest of the day.”
2. Disrupts your sleep cycle
“The blue light emitted by your phone suppresses melatonin production, a hormone crucial for regulating sleep,” says Kalentzis. “While the most significant damage is done at night, reaching for your phone in the morning reinforces a screen dependency that can disturb your natural sleep-wake rhythm.
“Beyond the light itself, stress-inducing notifications or emails can prematurely activate your stress response, cutting short the restful state your body needs to transition effectively into the day.”
3. Impacts mood
Browsing through social media can set a pessimistic emotional tone for the day.
“Whether it’s comparing yourself to someone’s highlight reel or reading distressing news, these interactions can trigger anxiety, stress, or even feelings of inadequacy,” points out Kalentzis. “Your morning is meant to be a time of renewal and grounding, but your phone often disrupts this, creating a ripple effect of negativity that can colour your entire day.”
4. Strains your eyes
“After hours of darkness during sleep, your eyes need time to adjust to light,” explains Kalentzis. “Exposing them immediately to the harsh brightness of a screen can cause discomfort, dryness, and irritation, which may persist throughout the day.
“Over time, this habit can contribute to chronic digital eye strain, a condition no one wants to deal with in today’s screen-saturated world.”
5. Can lead to procrastination
Morning phone use can be a productivity killer, sucking you into a vortex of distractions and sabotaging your focus before the day even begins.
“Instead of starting your day with intention and focus, you risk falling into the trap of passive consumption,” says Kalentzis. “Scrolling through endless posts or dealing with non-urgent emails slows your momentum and often leads to procrastination.
“The dopamine hit from this habit can make it harder to transition to more meaningful activities, setting a sluggish tone for the day and reducing overall productivity.”
Here are some useful tips to help you break the habit…
Charge your phone outside your room
“Breaking the habit doesn’t have to be difficult,” says Kalentzis. “Start by charging your phone outside the bedroom.”
Replace your phone alarm with a traditional alarm clock
“Avoid using your phone as an alarm as reaching for it first thing in the morning prompts you to start your day reading emails or scrolling the gram,” advises Hector Hughes, wellness expert and co-founder of digital detox escape cabin company Unplugged. “Try using a sunlight-simulating alarm clock, such as a Lumie. This helps your brain and body wake up more naturally, especially in darker mornings.”
Create a morning routine
“Develop a morning routine that excites you, whether it’s journaling, stretching, or going for a walk,” suggests Kalentzis. “Create space for proactive habits like exercising or simply enjoying a peaceful cup of coffee, all of which can set a positive tone for the day ahead.”
Remove social media apps from your home screen
“Delete the apps you don’t want to be habitually scrolling,” recommends Hughes. “It’s easy to re-download them if you want to check in, but removing them from your home screen will make it harder for you to open them in any idle moment.”
Try mindfulness
“If mindfulness appeals to you, practice a few minutes of deep breathing or meditation upon waking to centre yourself and reduce the urge to scroll,” suggests Kalentzis.
