In many bedrooms, the smartphone is no longer just a means of communication or entertainment, but has become a constant companion in the last moments of the day. While some couples spend time before bed browsing the news, following up on messages, or watching short reels, questions are increasing about the effect of this habit on the quality of sleep and emotional communication between the partners.
It is not just about staying up for longer hours, but also about the fatigue, mental distraction, and decline in emotional presence and daily dialogue that may result.
Increasing research indicates that nighttime screen use may affect sleep, mood, and attention, factors closely linked to marital quality.
When the phone steals hours of sleep
Dr. Ahmed Gebaili, a neurologist and sleep medicine consultant at a hospital in Berlin, Germany, says that exposure to light from screens, especially blue light in the evening hours, affects the biological clock and inhibits the secretion of the hormone melatonin, which is responsible for regulating sleep.
He explains that this leads to increased alertness, delayed entry into sleep, and delayed natural sleep timing, adding that repeating this habit daily may make a person feel more exhausted the next day, which may be reflected in the mood, communication, and harmony between spouses.
This is consistent with a scientific review published by Harvard Medical School that indicated that exposure to blue light during the evening hours may delay the secretion of melatonin and affect the timing and quality of sleep, which partly explains the difficulty of falling asleep for some people after spending a long time in front of screens.
From staying up late to stress and apathy
Although lack of sleep is often linked to feeling tired, its effects may extend beyond that to broader aspects related to the psychological state and the relationship between the two partners.
Dr. confirms. Gebeili said that sleep is not just a period of rest for the body, but rather plays an essential role in regulating emotions and dealing with daily stress. When a person suffers from staying up late or lack of sleep, his ability to concentrate and control emotions may be affected, and the feeling of fatigue during the day may increase.
He adds that the continuation of this situation may lead to increased nervousness, tension, and poor mental presence, which are factors that may negatively affect the quality of emotional communication and closeness between spouses.
Does the effect extend to sexual relations?
The effects of staying up late and disturbed sleep do not stop at the boundaries of mood and daily communication, but may also extend to sexual health.
Dr. says: Gebaili said good sleep is necessary to maintain hormonal balance and sexual health, explaining that testosterone rises naturally during sleep, while sleep deprivation may lead to a decrease in its levels.
This is supported by the results of a study conducted by researchers from the University of Chicago and published by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), which showed that reducing sleep for a week led to a decrease in testosterone levels in healthy men by a rate ranging between 10% and 15%.
Dr. points out Jbeili pointed out that sleep disturbance may contribute to some sexual performance problems in some people, but it is not the only factor, as multiple health and psychological factors interfere with it.
Busy and distracted minds
The effect of the phone is not limited to the light emitted from the screen only, but also extends to the nature of the content that the user consumes. Dr. Louay Al-Muhar, a psychiatrist at a medical center in Qatar, says that recent research indicates that repeated exposure to short, fast content such as “reels” may contribute to the brain getting used to high levels of stimulation and constant renewal of information.
He adds that this pattern leads to a decreased ability to concentrate for long periods, increased mental distraction, constant preoccupation with digital stimuli, and difficulty remaining mentally present in dialogue and emotional communication.
This is confirmed by a recent scientific review published by Frontiers in Psychology, which indicated that there is a link between excessive consumption of short videos, increased mental distraction, and difficulty maintaining attention for long periods.
Dr. points out The dowry indicates that the impact of this on marital life may be gradual, as some couples may find themselves physically in the same place, but mentally preoccupied with the phone or digital content, which affects the quality of emotional closeness and communication between them.
Dr. draws attention. The point is that mental distraction and constant preoccupation with digital stimuli may make some people less present and focused in situations that require direct emotional and human interaction.
There is not yet strong scientific evidence proving that watching reels directly causes disturbances in sexual performance during marital relations, but studies indicate that mental distraction, poor concentration, and constant preoccupation with digital stimuli may affect the mental presence and psychological engagement required for a normal sexual response.
Do blue light glasses help?
With increasing awareness of the impact of screens on sleep, some people are turning to blue light filter lenses.
Dr. Shadi Tohme, an eye disease and surgery specialist at a medical center in Qatar, says that glasses equipped with a blue light filter may help reduce exposure to this type of light emitted from screens, which may mitigate some of the effects associated with using electronic devices at night.
He adds that the best thing is to reduce the use of screens as much as possible before sleeping, and avoid using them in complete darkness, while maintaining appropriate lighting for the room while using it.
Studies indicate that reducing exposure to blue light in the evening hours may help improve sleep readiness, but research results regarding the effectiveness of blue light glasses are still mixed, which makes them part of the solution and not a substitute for reducing screen time at night.
How do the couple regain the calm of the night?
Experts believe that restoring balance does not require completely abandoning technology, but rather reorganizing its presence in daily life. Dr. confirms. Gebeili stressed the importance of reducing the use of the phone and screens at least an hour before bed, adhering to regular times for sleeping and waking up, and creating a quiet, dark, and comfortable bedroom.
As for Dr. The dowry is advised to allocate daily time free of phones and screens for real talk and communication, paying attention to listening more than responding, regularly expressing appreciation and gratitude, and not letting disagreements accumulate, in addition to allocating shared times for enjoyable activities away from the pressures of daily life.
He stresses that the marital relationship is not built on feelings alone, but on presence, attention, and mutual effort, pointing out that each party’s feeling that it is heard, understood, and appreciated remains one of the most important factors in maintaining the warmth and stability of the relationship.
At a time when screens compete for human attention at every moment, keeping the phone away from the bed for a while may be an opportunity to regain something more important than good sleep, which is creating a real space for dialogue and closeness between spouses.
