Is 2026 The Year Of Analogue Sleep?

Despite technology being a huge part of all of our lives, sleep remains remarkably analogue. You can’t download rest, automate recovery, or optimise your way around biology. In fact, many forms of tech can have a negative impact on your sleep.

Because of this, those searching for a good night’s rest in 2026 are embracing analogue sleep by actively stripping technology out of the bedroom, rediscovering natural sleep routines, and returning to more traditional ways of waking up. 

Start before bedtime

While technology can support productivity when we need it, it also keeps our nervous systems on constant alert. Notifications, updates, news, and algorithms all compete for our attention from the moment we wake up to the second we fall asleep. 

Starting your analogue routine before you get into bed can help restore balance. When evenings are quieter and less stimulating, stress hormones drop, and the body can shift into a calmer, more restorative state. This supports emotional regulation, lowers anxiety, and helps people feel more grounded day to day.

Instead of scrolling, develop your own pre-sleep rituals. Any gentle hobby will do, but the NHS recommends calming activities such as reading, listening to soft music, a podcast, or a guided sleep meditation, all of which can all help you fall asleep faster and improve sleep quality. Ideally, any media should be played on a device that doesn’t emit blue light – like a radio or smart speaker – as blue light can suppress the production of melatonin, the hormone that makes us feel sleepy. 

Reduce screen time

Sleep quality depends heavily on circadian rhythms – the internal clock that regulates when we feel alert or tired. Screens interfere with this process in two key ways: light and stimulation.

Blue light from a phone, tablet, or another type of screen suppresses melatonin, the hormone that makes us sleepy. Exposure to it, especially in the evening, can delay sleep onset and reduce overall sleep duration. 

Even when unused, the mere presence of a device can disrupt sleep. Studies show that anticipating notifications increases cognitive arousal, making it harder to fully relax. Try charging your phone or tablet in another room to keep your bedroom a screen-free zone, reducing the impact of blue light on your circadian rhythm.

Shake up how you wake up

For many people, their phone is their alarm, making it difficult to be truly screen-free in the bedroom. But when the first thing you see each day is your phone, you’re instantly exposed to emails, headlines, and notifications – all before you’ve fully woken up.

Traditional alarm clocks, or sunrise clocks that gradually introduce light, offer a more analogue alternative to phone alarms. Waking with light rather than noise supports natural circadian rhythms and can improve mood and energy levels throughout the day. Crucially, it allows the bedroom to remain a space for rest, not information.

Create a sleep-friendly environment

Going analogue is not just about what you remove from your evenings; it is also about what you add back in. A sleep-friendly environment is one of the most overlooked yet powerful tools for improving sleep quality.

Light, temperature, and noise all play a role, but comfort sits at the centre of it all. Your bed is where sleep actually happens, and an unsupportive or worn mattress can cause micro-awakenings throughout the night, even if you don’t consciously remember them. These small disruptions reduce time spent in deeper, restorative stages of sleep.

A comfortable bed supports the body’s natural alignment, reduces pressure points, and allows muscles to fully relax. When the body feels physically safe and supported, the brain follows. This is particularly important as we age, when joint sensitivity and muscle tension increase.

“As we move into 2026, one thing is becoming clear: better sleep does not come from more technology, but from an analogue sleep routine, supported by a calm environment and a comfortable bed. We may live in a digital world, but sleep remains physical, rhythmic, and deeply human. By making our nights tech-free, we give ourselves the chance to rest properly – and to wake feeling genuinely restored.”– Nick Hawkins, Managing Director at Grove Bedding.

Top photo by iam_os on Unsplash