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This hidden feature will improve your sleep 😴

This hidden feature will improve your sleep 😴

George Karaan
April 20, 2025 • Reading Time: 4 minutes

Do you ever find yourself doomscrolling with your phone basically on your face?

Especially at night, in bed—lights off, phone inches away.

The thing is… that little habit is wrecking your sleep—and (potentially) your vision.

Why?

Holding your phone closer than 12 inches spikes your exposure to blue light.

Blue light is a kind of visible light with a short wavelength and high energy. It’s found in sunlight and in screens like phones, computers, and TVs.

Because of its short wavelength, blue light can pass through the eye and reach the retina more easily than other light.

👉🏻 It’s the kind that tricks your brain into thinking it’s still daytime.

Blue light suppresses melatonin (your sleep hormone), messes with your circadian rhythm, and can lead to:

❌ headaches
❌ digital eye strain
❌ even nearsightedness over time

A Simple Solution?

📏 Keep your phone 16–24 inches from your face.

So. Back it up. Just a bit.

This one tweak reduces blue light intensity, giving your eyes a breather, and helping you fall asleep faster.

And the cool part:

Your iPhone can help you do it.

The Screen Distance Feature

A feature you didn’t know you needed…

With iOS 17, Apple added a new feature called Screen Distance.

It uses the front-facing TrueDepth camera to detect when your phone gets too close—and gives you a gentle nudge:

🛑 “iPhone Too Close”

How to turn it on (takes 10 seconds):

Open Settings
Tap Screen Time
Scroll to Screen Distance
Tap through the info screens
Toggle it On

Want a quick demo?

(Note: Only available on iPhones with Face ID + iOS 17. No Android equivalent... yet.)

Final Thought

This is one of those rare native features that’s actually good for you.

✅ You set it once.
✅ Forget about it.
✅ And it quietly helps protect your eyes

But, let’s be real—this won’t solve the bigger problem.

We live in a world flooded with artificial light. And, it messes with our biology in ways we’re only beginning to understand.

This feature is a small step in the right direction.

But more holistically, you should practice better light hygiene.

🕯 Skip the overhead lights at night.
Use soft, low-level lighting instead—like desk lamps or table lamps.
Just enough to move, read, and relax safely.

Not so much that it feels like you’re doing surgery in your living room 😄

More light hygiene = improved sleep, more focus, better health.

It all adds up.

See you next week,
George