Mobile phoneshave become a necessity in the 21st century and play a vital role in our everyday lives, resulting in more people in the UK using mobiles today than ever before. A 2022 survey by Cyber Crewfound that 46% of parents surveyed in the UK said they ‘feel addicted’ to their mobile devices. Whilst in the 18–29-year-old category 22% of respondents admitted to checking their phones every two minutes. It’s clear our phones are an essential part of our lives, but should they be banned in the bedroom?
TV personalityFerne McCannrecently said that doing so is essential in keeping the spark alive in her sex life. Ferne told Fabulous Magazine, 'We don’t have a TV in our bedroom, we’ve put a TV and phone ban on so that when we get into bed we can fully connect and have conversation . . . or sex.'
For many of us, checking Instagram, TikTokand Facebook repeatedly until our eyes begin to feel heavy and collapse into sleep is the way to wind down. From the statistics above it’s clear that many people do result to this. However, the downside is also that the obsession with our phones can get in the way of our sex lives.
Soon the most intimate conversation between partners will come from sharing endless TikToks (which are hilarious) but suddenly the art of pillow talk might become redundant. Pillow talk is the intimate, unguarded conversations that occur in bed. Sure, you could do other things with your partner and chat but there’s something about being in the safety of the bedroom that breeds more vulnerable conversations. This only enhances a deeper and more genuine connection within your relationship.
Making a commitment to spend more time engaged in pillow talk with your partner could help with your relationship and bring you closer**.** Plus, it's something you can work on together, and the more you do it, the easier it will become. So basically, pillow talk is actually an essential part of a relationship and could lead to more sex.
Lovehoney Sexologist Cam Fraser agreed that removing the phone from the bedroom is a great idea. He said, 'Spending less time on your phone, especially within the bedroom, will allow for you and your partner to work on ways to make time for each other and prioritise intimacy and pleasure. This is because your attention is not divided, and you can be more responsive to your partner.’
What would happen if we did just switch off our phones during the night for a week? Sure, you might miss the latest celebrity scandal, but it won’t be the end of the world. A detox could actually be life-changing.
While doing this won’t be an everyday occurrence (The truth is one of life's essential luxuries is scrolling through social media whist almost dozing off on a comfy bed.) But it could be the detox we all need to serve as a reminder that that the bedroom is also a space to reconnect with your partner, think of your own needs and switch off (so that you can switch your sex drive on!)