I’ve been lightly suggesting removing the TV from our bedroom for the last few years, and I’ve been met with hardcore static.

While I don’t tend to have trouble dropping off to dreamland, my husband sure does. We’ve made it a habit to put on some mindless TV and set the sleep timer just about every night. It seems like it helps, but that is not what the studies indicate. I’ve been optimizing our sleep setting for years now, and this has been the big hold out. I’d pretty much given up until the past month.

Detox everything. Including TV.

Recently, I’ve been obsessed with detox. Not just water, products, food, but also digital and even beyond. As part of my radical shift to freedom, I quit TV cold turkey. In an effort to support me in my mania, my husband hasn’t been watching either. We’re several weeks into zero television and things have changed.

• I generally read my kindle when I first go to bed. I have had one night after another where I don’t even make it past the ad before I’m gone.
• My husband is falling asleep more quickly than ever and he actually stays that way.
• It’s not just what happened right before bed. It’s what’s happening for hours before bed. I had no idea how disruptive TV is to peace. We’ve been listening to records, reading, walking after work, eating less, and myriad other things that naturally improve sleep.

Giving up TV felt sad at first. Sometimes thinking about it now still feels a little sad. But honestly, I don’t miss it. And boy do I love sleeping.