Being on a phone keeps the brain in a high beta state which blocks melatonin production.
Posted by The Charlie Kirk Show, Checked
- Sources
- 2 support1 context
- Said
- 1 time·
- Confidence
- 60%
The Charlie Kirk ShowAug 5, 2026
Sources consistently support that phone use suppresses melatonin, mainly through blue light acting on the circadian system, and the claim's 'can block melatonin' framing is consistent with that. No source addresses the 'high beta state' brain-wave mechanism the claim names, so that link is unverified rather than contradicted, and the extraction dropped the post's hedge 'can'.
What was said
… That's why I have that lux meter within the app, because you can, you have to use your partner's phone to measure what's coming off your phone. Keep it below 10, turn your blue light filter on, wear your blue blockers. That's going to help. But the other thing that can keep your brain making cortisol is the brain waves that you're going to essentially make from being on your phone. You're going to stay in a high beta state, which can also block melatonin, so there's a fine line you have to walk with it. When I want people to be compliant, I'm going to say, get the blue blockers, turn the dimness down on your phone, measure it, uh, get red light bulbs in your home. …
The Charlie Kirk Show · · from the transcriptPost →What we found
Supports. A 2026 narrative review reports that short-wavelength light from smartphone screens can suppress nocturnal melatonin secretion and impair sleep initiation.[2]
Supports. A 2024 study found that reading on a smartphone without a blue-light filter significantly attenuated melatonin levels in both adolescents and adults.[3]
Context. A 2011 Reuters report cites Charles Czeisler saying pre-bedtime exposure to artificial light can inhibit melatonin production.[1]
Context. No source mentions high beta brain-wave states; the cited pathway in the sources is light-driven melatonin suppression rather than brain waves.[2][3]
Sources
3 sources: 1 fact-checker, 1 primary, 1 not rated
- 1Not getting enough sleep? Turn off the technologyreuters.com · fact-checker · cited for: context
- 2Digital Engagement and Sleep Dysregulation in Young Adults - PMCpmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov · primary source · cited for: supports, context
- 3Effects of evening smartphone use on sleep and declarative ...academic.oup.com · not rated · cited for: supports, context
Where this claim was made
Said in 1 published post
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