wellness
Moorabbin Residents Cut Screen Time, Report Better Sleep and Less Stress
Moorabbin residents are carving out device-free blocks to cut stress and improve sleep.
How we reported this
More than 40 percent of adults in the Moorabbin postcode now report blocking phone access between 8pm and 6am on weekdays, according to a June 2026 tally compiled by the Moorabbin Community Centre.
The shift follows months of network disruptions that left commuters checking devices every few minutes and parents worrying about missed calls from schools or aged-care facilities. Local wellness groups say the constant reachability has pushed anxiety scores higher, with residents describing racing thoughts that start at the first vibration and linger past midnight.
Programs already running on local streets
At the Moorabbin Library on Nepean Highway, staff now run a twice-weekly phone-lock box session on Tuesday and Thursday evenings that draws 25 to 30 people who hand over devices for two hours while they read or join a walking group that loops through Moorabbin Reserve. Two blocks away on South Road, the Moorabbin RSL has added a 7pm-to-9pm quiet hour in its front lounge where members leave phones at the bar and play cards or listen to live acoustic sets without screens.
A 2025 survey by the same community centre found that participants who kept the two-hour rule for at least four weeks reduced their average daily screen time by 92 minutes and reported a 28 percent drop in self-rated stress on a standard ten-point scale. The same data set showed sleep onset improved by 19 minutes on average for those who also avoided phones in the bedroom.
Steps that fit around existing routines
Start with one fixed window that already exists in the day, such as the train ride home from Highett station or the hour after dinner along Balcombe Road. Place the phone in a kitchen drawer or use the library’s lock box rather than relying on willpower alone. Tell two contacts in advance that messages sent during those hours will be answered the next morning. After two weeks, extend the block by 30 minutes if the first window feels manageable. Residents who track the change on paper rather than an app see steadier results, the centre notes.