Checking Your Phone on Waking May Put Your Brain on Alert

Reaching for a phone as soon as you open your eyes may seem like a harmless morning routine. But psychologists suggest that immediate exposure to screens and notifications could push the brain quickly into a state of alertness.

Instead of easing into the day, attention is drawn straight to incoming information. Messages and alerts can create a sense that something needs a response before there has been time to settle into the morning.

That early shift in attention may also influence mood. Depending on what appears on the screen, the first moments of the day could become focused on demands or concerns rather than a quieter transition from sleep.

The concern is not that every glance at a phone will have the same effect. Rather, the habit may bring a rush of stimulation into a moment when a person is only just waking up.

Leaving a little space between waking and checking notifications is one way to make that transition less abrupt. The aim is to choose when to engage with the phone, rather than letting its alerts set the tone for the morning.