From the moment we wake up in the morning, to the moment our head finally hits the pillow, we're bombarded by device notifications that demand our attention—leading to Kiwis admitting they are frequently distracted and stressed at the end of the day.
The pressure to stay connected is constant, with over a quarter (27%) of Kiwis receiving notifications until the moment they go to sleep at 10.45pm - according to new research from Amazon Kindle, that included responses from 2,000 adults in New Zealand, collected between 14th - 25th February 2025.
It reveals that 9.45pm is the latest Kiwis should switch off notifications and turn to a relaxing activity to help get a good night's sleep. Neuroscientist and author Dr Mark Williams suggests "we spend at least one hour in the evening notification-free to give our minds time to relax."
We receive notifications from smartphones, smartwatches, laptops and tablets throughout the day, leading to over half (52%) of us feeling frequently distracted. "When we hear a notification sound or feel our phone vibrate, our brain interprets it as something that requires our immediate focus, so we're in a constant state of alertness," Dr Williams explains. "Each time our attention is diverted by a notification it takes 60-90 seconds to refocus back on the task that we were originally doing. These disruptions are seizing our time, resulting in decreased efficiency."
We're not just distracted when we see a notification pop up. Over three quarters (78%) of Kiwis check devices every hour in the hope that they have a new notification, some up to 50 times. Dr Williams says this is similar to addictive behaviour. "Notifications can trigger a release of dopamine, leading to people checking their phones compulsively in anticipation of a new notification."
These addictive notifications negatively impact our focus and concentration, causing 88% of Kiwis to feel stressed by the evening. Over three quarters (29%) then struggle to relax, so watch TV (74%), listen to music (48%) and read books (29%) in an attempt to wind down.
Our evening relaxation time is not without interruptions, as almost half (40%) are still frequently distracted by incoming notifications. Once we get into bed, over half (68%) admit to falling asleep later than intended due to checking devices for notifications.
Dr Williams shares his top tips to help you disconnect and relax at the end of the day:
1. At least one-hour before you go to sleep turn off laptops, tablets, computers and put your phone in sleep mode and put them out of sight. They are designed to be distracting and to capture our attention, keeping us on high alert.
2. Limit devices with the ability to send notifications in your bedroom. Where you sleep should be dark, cool and quiet without distractions.
3. Avoid caffeine, nicotine and alcohol before bedtime, which are all stimulants and will interfere with proper sleep.
4. Before you try to relax write some notes. What you did that day, what was good, what was bad, what you might do differently next time and what you would like to achieve tomorrow. It will slow you down and help to start the reset process.
5. Reading is a great way to spend the last hour before sleep, but not on a device that sends notifications.
