Phone-Free Gift Guide: Sleep-Friendly Swaps for the Nightstand

Summary 

This holiday season, give the best gift of all: sleep. From sunrise alarms for gentler mornings to soothing sounds, soft lighting, and analog wind-down staples, these thoughtful swaps support healthy sleep habits, whether you’re shopping for a chronic doomscroller, new parent, or someone who just deserves deeper rest.

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In a world where phones follow us everywhere (including into bed), one of the most meaningful gifts you can give is a little breathing room. Sleep thrives on calm, consistency, and low stimulation, the exact opposite of what happens when you’re staring at a phone. Helping someone you love create a phone-free nightstand is an invitation to slow down, reconnect with restful rituals, and ultimately, get better sleep.

Below, learn more about how a phone-free bedroom can help create healthier bedtime routines, and explore some of the best sleep-friendly gifts. 

Table of contents

1. Why Going Phone-Free Supports Better Sleep
2. Phone-Free Nightstand Essentials
3. Tips for Creating a Phone-Free Routine
4. Key Takeaways
5. FAQs
6. References 

Why Going Phone-Free Supports Better Sleep

Want better sleep? First, get your phone out of your bedroom. A quick biology lesson: Screens on electronic devices emit blue light, one of the most activating wavelengths on the spectrum. Essentially, blue light at night tricks your body into thinking it’s daytime, suppressing the release of melatonin (the hormone that makes you sleepy).

The content you consume is another culprit. Doomscrolling — yep, even the cute puppy videos! — stimulates your brain when it’s time to wind down, which can make it hard to relax when you want to go to sleep. The more you scroll, the harder it is to stop, thanks to the dopamine that’s released in the process.

Going phone-free is one of the best starting places when it comes to resetting your sleep routine. Instead of activating your mind and body before sleep, you can prioritize habits that actually relax you. 

Phone-Free Nightstand Essentials 

Whether you’re shopping for a friend who can’t stop checking work emails at night, a new parent who’s glued to their phone at 3 AM, or your in-laws who just discovered Instagram, these phone-free gifts encourage healthier night-time phone habits and better sleep.

Sunrise Alarm Clocks

For many, wake-up alarms are one of the biggest barriers to a phone-free bedroom. Sunrise Alarms, like Hatch Restore, make it easy to ditch screens (and make mornings feel gentler and more energizing). 

By simulating a gradual sunrise, these alarms ease the body into waking up, which can reduce sleep inertia (that half-asleep feeling you get when your alarm jolts you awake too quickly). On Restore, you can pair your sunrise light with an energizing-but-gentle audio, like birds chirping or morning city sounds. 

Sound Machines & White Noise 

For those who rely on their phone for white noise, a proper sound machine is an essential swap. Hatch Restore has an expansive library of audio that not only blocks out distracting ambient noise but actually creates a cozy, relaxing bedtime environment (think soothing sound baths, calming meditations, and fun grown-up bedtime stories). 

Bedside Lighting 

Bye, bye, big lights. Warm, dimmable lighting encourages melatonin production and relaxation at bedtime. A dimmable bedside lamp, such as Hatch Restore, can help your phone-dependent loved one settle for sleep without harsh overhead lighting. Pro tip: Amber or orange light on a Restore can encourage deeper relaxation, much like a cozy bonfire or sunset. 

Journals, Books, or E-Readers

If someone’s used to scrolling before bed, they’ll need a new (relaxing!) activity to help their brain ease out of “go mode.” A journal is perfect for unloading lingering thoughts or planning tomorrow so the mind can settle. A good book gives the brain something gentle to focus on instead of a screen, and for those who prefer digital reading, an e-reader offers a paper-like experience without the stimulating blue light of a phone. 

If you’re not giving a gift to a bedtime reader, Hatch Restore also offers bedtime stories (like Little Women) and meditations for light entertainment without the screen. All these options invite slower, calmer bedtime rituals and make it much easier to keep that distracting, activating phone charging in another room.

Tips for Creating a Phone-Free Routine

Want to try out a phone-free routine for yourself? Here are some tips to help you actually stick with your new, healthy habit: 

• Use Restore’s Goodnight, Phone feature: Like a curfew for your phone, this Restore feature reminds you to finish up on your screen so you can pivot to a relaxing bedtime routine.
• Set your phone to “Do Not Disturb”: The DND function on your phone silences notifications, so you won’t wake up to your phone pinging or buzzing. 
• Charge your phone in another room: It may sound simple, but distance can go a long way in preventing night-time phone use. Keep your phone charging in another room while you sleep so you’re not tempted to look at it if you wake up.
• Create a comforting wind-down activity to replace scrolling: Pair your new phone-free nights with something soothing, such as stretching, journaling, light reading, or a Restore Unwind routine, to retrain your brain to expect rest, not stimulation.

With the right cues and comforting replacements, going phone-free at bedtime becomes less of a challenge (and maybe even more fun). A few small habits, especially when paired with Restore, can transform your nights into a calmer, cozier part of your day.

Key Takeaways

• Scrolling on a phone before bed can interfere with your circadian rhythm and activate your mind and body when it’s time to start relaxing before sleep. 
• Phone-free gifts support healthier sleep habits by encouraging more relaxing bedtime habits.
• Hatch Restore makes it easy to put your phone away at night with its Goodnight, Phone feature and content that helps you unwind for deeper, more restful sleep and gentler morning wake-ups. 

Explore Hatch Restore to make sleep the best gift of all for you or your friends and family. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do if I rely on my phone for nighttime anxiety or distraction?

If your phone feels like a comfort item at night, try replacing it with grounding tools that reduce stress without the stimulation of a screen. A guided relaxation track, sound machine, or bedside journal can help calm racing thoughts while protecting your circadian rhythm. These swaps give you the same sense of support without the blue light or endless scrolling that keeps your brain alert.

How can I avoid checking my phone in the middle of the night?

Keep your phone outside the bedroom or facedown in another room, and rely on non-screen tools like your Hatch Restore if you need comfort or orientation in the dark. You can also use Restore’s Goodnight, Phone feature to cue when the device is officially “off duty” for the night. Making the phone physically harder to reach reduces the habit loop that leads to nighttime wakefulness.

What if I rely on my phone for alarms or sleep sounds?

You can still go phone-free by replacing those functions with dedicated tools. Hatch Restore’s Sunrise Alarm can handle wake-ups and its sleep sounds selection provides pink, brown, or white noise or calming audio without the temptation to scroll. The goal is to keep the function, but remove the distraction.

References

1. He, J. W., Tu, Z. H., Xiao, L., Su, T., & Tang, Y. X. (2020). Effect of restricting bedtime mobile phone use on sleep, arousal, mood, and working memory: A randomized pilot trial. PloS one, 15(2), e0228756. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0228756
2. Zhong, C., Masters, M., Donzella, S. M., Diver, W. R., & Patel, A. V. (2025). Electronic screen use and sleep duration and timing in adults. JAMA Network Open, 8(3), e252493. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2025.2493