More Americans Sleep With Their Cell Phones Than Significant Others (Probably)

If you ever thought you would “literally die” without your cell phone, you aren’t alone. An alarming number of Americans can’t even put the phone down when they put themselves down to bed.

That’s right: according to Loveawake recent study, a sad number of Americans sleep with their phones in their hands.

Now, unless you are full of black magic and can Tinder in your sleep, this benefits no one. Especially not anyone from Tinder, who you may be swiping right to in your sleep by mistake. Or worse, left (if they’re relatively good looking and/or not a complete creep).

Recently, Bank of America released its annual Trends in Consumer Mobility Report, which studies consumers’ behavior towards their gadgets — like smartphones. Results found that 71 percent of 1,000 respondents sleep with, or next to, their phones — despite an overwhelming amount of research that says bringing electronics into the bedroom is bad for us. Out of those, three percent said they sleep with their devices actually in their hands. Which is not THAT surprising, but very, very sad.

Thirteen percent of respondents said they keep their phones on their beds, and 55 percent leave it on their nightstand. Nearly one in four people admitted to falling asleep with their smartphones in their hands at one point or another.

Want some more scary numbers? Thirty-five percent of respondents said their smartphone is the very first thing they reach for when they wake up. That’s compared to the 17 percent who grab coffee, the 13 percent who go for their toothbrush, and the 10 percent who reach for their significant other. If your eyebrows are not raised yet, let me repeat this: ONLY 10 PERCENT REACH FOR THEIR SIGNIFICANT OTHER!

Forty-four percent said they couldn’t make it one day without their phones, and 23 percent said they check their phone every few minutes. Yikes, yikes, yikes, yikes, yikes.

While I’m not going to chide anyone at staring at their phone during the day — jobs can be boring, or maybe you’re checking your work email — I am a little concerned about the whole sleeping-with-your-phone-in-your-hand thing. While I gotta be honest — even I have fallen asleep ACCIDENTALLY with my phone in my hand — I think if you are intentionally looking to get some shuteye, you should: Put. The. Phone. Down.

Whatever’s happening on social media will be there in the morning. And if you’re waiting for a text from “that guy,” chances are you’ll pass out before he texts you back, anyway.

As for me, don’t text me after midnight — unless it’s a Friday night and I’m feeling alive.