Can using your phone before bed make it harder to sleep?
Do you keep scrolling when you meant to sleep? Learn why phones make bedtime easy to postpone and try a realistic plan for putting yours down tonight.
Read the full guideAn iPhone bedtime focus app
Scroll a little less tonight.Give sleep a little more room.
Sleep or Else gives “put the phone down” a clear ending point. You get five minutes to wrap up, then the system reduces distractions from other apps. You make the decision; the system helps you hold it.
The free version is preparing for App Store release
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Stop here for tonight.
Take off a little earlier tomorrow.
5 minutesReply, charge, and say goodnight
4 fixed hoursReduce distractions on schedule
Local firstCore locking needs no account or third-party tracking
How it works
Not another reminder.
A decision that actually runs.
Sleep or Else does not choose your bedtime. When you are ready, you confirm and let the routine take over.
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You confirm
It never locks suddenly or starts secretly in the background.
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Take five minutes
Handle one necessary message, set your alarm, and charge the phone.
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The system reduces distractions
With your permission, Apple Screen Time frameworks display system shields.
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It ends after four hours
The plan restores access automatically, so there is nothing to remember in the morning.
Practical sleep guides
Understand why stopping is hard.
Then make tonight easier.
What can you do when you cannot stop scrolling in bed?
Still scrolling even though you are tired? Turn a willpower problem into an environment and routine problem with a bedtime plan you can actually follow.
Read the full guideHow can you stop putting off bedtime?
Tired but still unwilling to end the day? Use a closing ritual, environmental boundaries, and a tomorrow list to reduce bedtime procrastination.
Read the full guideWhat can you do in the last five minutes before bed?
A bedtime checklist that really fits into five minutes: handle one necessary message, set your alarm, move the phone away, and leave unfinished tasks for tomorrow.
Read the full guideHow do you make a phone-free bedtime routine stick?
You do not have to quit your phone completely. Start with a fixed stopping point, a charging place, an alternative activity, and clear exception rules.
Read the full guideHow can you limit iPhone use before bed?
Understand Screen Time, Downtime, Focus, and the limits of third-party bedtime apps so you can choose an iPhone setup that fits your night.
Read the full guideA little less scrolling can leave a little more time for sleep.
A little more sleep gives tomorrow a better chance.
Privacy Policy
Local first. Cloud only by choice.
Effective August 6, 2026
Core bedtime locking stays on your iPhone. Only the optional Together private-group feature transmits the small amount of data it needs to work.
Core locking stays local
Lock plans, full promise history, themes, gender, birthday, and emergency-unlock reasons stay on your device and in the app's App Group. Core locking needs no account.
- Plan mode, start time, and end time
- Full promise outcomes and emergency reasons
- Theme, interface settings, and onboarding status
- Optional gender and birthday
Essential Together cloud data
Only after you use Sign in with Apple for Together do we store:
- Apple's private account identifier and your nickname
- Group name, invite code, membership, and role
- Coarse status and local calendar day used for tonight's progress and seven-day group history
- APNs token, preset nudges, and safety actions
This data is used only for authentication, group status, notifications, and member safety—not ads, profiling, or cross-app tracking.
Data we never upload
The app never reads or uploads your specific app list, Screen Time details, emergency reasons, gender, birthday, location, contacts, photos, health data, or biometric information.
The app contains no advertising or third-party analytics SDK.
Apple and Cloudflare
iOS handles Screen Time and identity confirmation. Apple provides Sign in with Apple and APNs. Together's API and database run on Cloudflare infrastructure.
Group members cannot remotely start, end, or modify another person's Screen Time lock.
Deletion and control
- Revoke Screen Time access in iPhone Settings
- Clear local history from Promises
- Leave a group or delete the cloud account in Together settings
- Delete the app to remove on-device data
Group safety, children, and changes
Together uses invite-only private groups with no public discovery or stranger chat. Members can report, block, and leave. The app is not directed to children under 13. If data practices change, this page and App Store disclosures will be updated.
Technical Support
Need help? The cat is still here.
For authorization, lock status, widgets, or anything else, send an email. Including your iPhone model, iOS version, the time of the issue, and a screenshot will help.
Frequently asked questions
A few important answers first.
Why are Settings and emergency calls still available?
Third-party apps cannot disable Settings, emergency calls, or essential functions Apple preserves. This is part of iOS's safety boundary.
What happens if I revoke Screen Time access?
The system shields stop working and the app clearly shows that authorization was interrupted. If you restore permission before the plan ends, it attempts to resume until the original end time.
Why is an emergency-unlock reason saved?
The reason and time stay only on your device and appear with the corresponding sleep-promise record. They are not uploaded or used for ads, analytics, or tracking.
Can this app treat insomnia?
No. It only helps reduce phone distractions before bed and provides no diagnosis or treatment. If sleep problems continue to affect your life, consult a qualified healthcare professional.