"Screen-Free Sleep" movement takes to the streets to address America's youth sleep crisis

NEW YORK, Aug. 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In a bold wake-up call to parents everywhere, the team behind the acclaimed Screenagers documentaries and the "Away for the Day" campaign launched its latest national initiative on Tuesday, August 12th in NYC: Screen-Free Sleep, a movement to keep kids' bedrooms device-free at night and restore healthy rest to a generation in crisis.

To mark the campaign's debut, New Yorkers were treated to an unexpected sight: an entire flash mob of Steve Jobs lookalikes - black turtlenecks, jeans, and all - took to the streets, handing out "iSleep Pro" kits: sleek, phone-style packaging featuring simple sleep masks as a symbol of unplugged rest.

Billed as a "technological bedtime breakthrough," the iSleep Pro kits unveiled the real game-changer: no devices in kids' bedrooms at night - a practice the campaign is calling the seatbelt of our time.

The message was clear: parents must wake up to the growing crisis - with phones and screens invading bedtime, children are sleeping less, struggling more, and paying the price with their health, mood, and academic performance.

"Sleep is as essential to a child's health as nutrition and exercise,but right now, screens are robbing our kids of it," said Dr. Delaney Ruston, physician, filmmaker, and co-founder of the Screen-Free Sleep campaign. "Our campaign empowers parents to make bedrooms device-free at night, building habits that last through the teen years. By making screen-free sleep the norm, we can give our children the rest they need to thrive."

The Alarming Numbers:

• 1 in 4 tweens sleep with their phone in hand.
  
  
• Kids with devices in their bedroom are 2.3x more likely to feel tired during the day.
  
  
• 51% of teens get fewer than 7 hours of sleep most nights.

The Solution:

Parents are encouraged to take the pledge at ScreenFreeSleep.org to:

1. Remove all devices - phones, tablets, laptops, smartwatches, gaming devices, even smart speakers - from kids' bedrooms at night.
   
   
2. Provide a basic alarm clock to replace phone alarms.
   
   
3. Store devices overnight in a secure location (ideally in a parent's bedroom to reduce temptation).

Why It Matters:

• Research shows that simply having a device in the room, even if it's not in use, disrupts kids' sleep.
  
  
• Groundbreaking research shows that sleep deprivation in tweens is associated with MRI-verified disruptions in brain development.
  
  
• A device-free bedroom supports emotional regulation, attention, and school performance.

How to Get Involved:

Parents can sign the pledge, share the campaign with friends, and bring "iSleep Pro" kits to schools, sports events, and community gatherings to help normalize screen-free sleep - just as seat belts became standard safety practice.

Assets & Interviews Available:

• Flash Mob & Campaign Photos: HERE
  
  
• Available experts:
  • Dr. Delaney Ruston - Physician, filmmaker, founder of Screenagers & Screen-Free Sleep
  • Judith Owens, MD, MPH, expert in pediatric sleep medicine, Boston Children's Hospital
  • Lauren Hale, Phd, Sleep Expert, Renaissance School of Medicine, NY

To learn more, visit www.ScreenFreeSleep.org. For additional details or to arrange interviews, please contact kelly@eightsixtysouth.com.

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SOURCE Screenagers