I finally broke my doomscrolling loop by blocking news sites after 9pm

I noticed my sleep data on my Fitbit was tanking because I'd get sucked into algorithm-sorted headlines right before bed, so I set a screen timer on my phone for 9pm that locks out every news app and site (except Reddit, obviously). Has anyone else tried time-gating specific apps to trick the algorithms into showing you less anxiety-fueling content at night?

3 comments

3 Comments

danielnelson6d ago

Wait, you have a Fitbit that actually tracks your sleep? Mine just shows me a graph of me lying awake at 3am scrolling through Twitter. But that time gate idea is wild, I never thought of locking out specific apps like that. I'd probably just end up turning it off after five minutes because my thumb would automatically tap the news icon out of habit. Does the reddit exception actually help or do you just end up in the weird algorithm rabbit holes there too?

grantp146d ago

Ended up buying one of those cheap blue light blocking glasses off Amazon last month and now I wear them like 2 hours before bed. Honestly they make me look like a total dork but I actually fall asleep faster now. The Fitbit data does show I get more deep sleep when I remember to put them on. Still catch myself doomscrolling through r/askreddit threads about creepy historical facts though, definitely fell into a rabbit hole about Victorian mourning customs the other night.

ellis.faith6d ago

The time-gating thing is smart because you're basically hacking your own brain's weakest moment. I've noticed a pattern where the more friction you add to bad habits, the easier it is to actually stop doing them right when you're most vulnerable. Blue light glasses are another layer of friction, you have to physically remember them and put them on, which trains your brain to know it's wind-down time. The whole thing ties into how we treat our evenings like we're still at work, expecting our minds to just shut off on command. Your mileage may vary but I think we're all realizing we need ritual barriers, not just willpower.