Grayscale on Android has been a game changer for my routine

2024 is the first year that I actually take my good intentions seriously. I wrote a bunch of them down and even kept working on them until the end of January – breaking my previous record. These are modest goals, but I have made good progress. Compared to last year, I eat better, drink less and exercise more. What really eluded me until recently was my bedtime routine. I didn’t get to it sleep consistently on time, so I finally decided I needed some help from my phone.

It won’t surprise you that it was mine Android phone which regularly derailed my otherwise healthy day at the last obstacle. Even as I started to relax, I would idly reach for my device as soon as I got into bed and suddenly notice that 45 minutes had passed. It took me a while to realize that this was a significant problem, and once I did, I decided to give the Android Digital Wellbeing settings a try. It was Bedtime Mode that finally made me ignore my device, and I can’t recommend it highly enough to anyone else with the same problem.

Bedtime mode is a tool you can use to plan your usual nighttime routine. It consists of a number of elements, such as putting your phone on silent, activating it dark modeand dimming the wallpaper, but the real groundbreaking aspect of it for me was the grayscale. This feature removes all the colors from your phone’s display, making everything black and white. It makes the screen much less visually appealing, which reduces the temptation to endlessly scroll.

There is research behind this, although you will notice it very quickly. Vibrant colors, especially blue and red, stimulate the brain and can keep you alert. This is especially problematic at night, as bright, attractive screens make it harder to wind down before bed. Grayscale mode counters this by making the experience boring, making apps like social media and games less attention-grabbing.

Without the vibrant colors, I find myself less likely to check notifications or mindlessly scroll through before going to bed. If I do reach for my device while crouched, seeing the monochrome screen immediately reminds me to put it down again.

If you want to try Bedtime Mode yourself, it’s very easy to activate. The instructions in the settings menu may differ per device, but on my OnePlus 10 Pro you simply go to Settings > Digital wellbeing & parental controls > Bedtime mode. Once there, you can set your schedule (I’m fully aware that my 9pm bedtime isn’t too rock ‘n’ roll) and adjust the settings. Definitely do it also check the Adjust section to confirm that grayscale is one of the display options to activate.

However, I only have one problem with this feature. When active, the notification gives you one-tap options to pause it for 30 minutes or turn it off completely. I think this is a misstep in the app’s design, as it only takes a brief moment of bad discipline to use any of these options and get the colors flowing back again. I try to abstain, but maybe not everyone can control themselves.

But if Google ever needs an ambassador to promote Bedtime Mode, I’d be happy to sign up. I’m just happy that I can reach that 2024 goal with a few months left. If I can make my debut for the England football team on December 31, my New Year’s resolutions will be complete.