Does this exist? I need a solution!

[PoptartPoptart]

I’m currently going through some medical treatment and am on medication which means I am regularly wide awake in the middle of the night for hours at a time.

Rather than get up, I’d like to be able to look at my phone in bed without disturbing my husband. (I know they say looking at screens makes insomnia worse, but I don’t have many other options to occupy me).

I’ve turned the brightness down as far as I can, but the light is still disturbing him.
We don’t have a spare room and I can’t go downstairs on my own due to risk of falling.
My treatment is likely to last for a few months so I can’t ask him to sleep on the couch - it’s not fair.

Is there anything else I can do?

I was hoping to find a weird and wonderful gadget or quirky invention or something that can clip to my phone and is like a little blackout tent or screen that goes round and over the top of the phone. Has anyone ever seen such an invention??

I probably sound crazy - that’s what weeks of insomnia is doing to me 🤪

Thanks for any suggestions - all ideas appreciated!

Your dh needs an eye mask!

I sulked for years with my dh watching telly when I wanted to go to sleep. I reluctantly bought some satin ones and love them so much I bought a spare pair!

DH puts headphones in the telly and we're both happy!

I know what Id be buyimg your dh for Xmas!

Yes you can get blue light filter screens for this! Just google blue light filter phone screen I’m sure with this it wont be so bright

Can he not turn the other way?

Like this sort of thing? sorry for the huge link- Google ‘phone privacy hood’ for similar results.
www.amazon.co.uk/Mobile-Blocking-Smartphones-Motorcycle-Without/dp/B0D3M46VTB/ref=asc_df_B0D3M46VTB?mcid=103314cb3d2c30d793ce6c0f16f23318&tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=747758654559&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=11158382443886884513&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006524&hvtargid=pla-2421003300916&psc=1&hvocijid=11158382443886884513-B0D3M46VTB-&hvexpln=0&gad_source=1

I recommend Brave web browser and to use it in dark mode. Settings -> appearance -> night mode. That combined with lower brightness really really helps in the dark. Thank me later.

A kindle paperwhite has a different type of “glow” it almost doesn’t glow

From someone who really cares about screen brightness, don't waste your time or money and please don't buy anything!
You want a screen dimming app. I use "Screen Dimmer" on Android.

You give it permission to overlay your screen and it gives you the ability to turn the brightness down even more than standard phone settings. I think it's just a grey overlay of some kind but it gets the screen properly dim when you need it, and it's free. You just turn it off when uou need. You can even put it on a schedule I think. There's probably lots of other apps that do this but this worked for me

You also might want to look into podcasts and some sleep friendly headphones as this might be more restful.
You could also consider a downstairs sleep solution for you because it can be hard to break an insomnia habit like this even when your treatment ends.

I have a free app download through play store called Twilight which puts a light filter and completely dims the screen. I use it whilst my toddler is falling asleep and it hardly emits any disturbing light.

Do you have an iPhone ? In’ accessibility’ you can choose a setting called ‘reduce white point’, which hugely reduces the brightness more than the normal slider. You can also add a colour filter to further tone it down.

Seconding the kindle paperwhite in dark mode suggestion. Used for both reading in the middle of the night and as a low-light torch for bathroom trips.

This is why I absolutely love Mumsnet - such great suggestions everyone - thank you so much!

How about podcasts and audiobooks?

you could very easily get some blackout material and make some kind of structure

I just wanted to add to, that the time my husband wakes me up when he’s reading his phone in bed is when he directs the screen towards me accidentally, or he’s scrolling and flicking through things so there’s a bit of movement. I think if he would just be watching a film and therefore more static, it would be less disturbing.

Second reducing brightness even further in settings.

My friend had a sort of black glass screen protector and you couldn’t see ANYTHING from the sides, only if you were looking straight on. I think that would work?

You can get a privacy screen protector for your phone @PoptartPoptart. You can see it in full brightness but those beside you can’t see a thing!