Bedtime Police - Digital detox and bedtime routine app for Android

Bedtime Police overlay screen - Block phone usage on bedtime

Bedtime Police overlay screen - Block phone usage on bedtime

Overview

Bedtime Police is a digital detox app for android designed to help adults maintain a consistent sleep schedule by reducing late-night phone usage in very simple way:

  1. Set your preferred bedtime.
  2. The app restricts phone use after your designated bedtime.
  3. If you want to unlock your phone during that time, you’re required to pay a small fee that you can choose yourself.

For emergency situations, the app allows you to unlock your phone for free for a short period.

The goal of Bedtime Police is to improve your well-being, productivity, and overall quality of life by helping you get a good night’s sleep. It’s perfect for adults who want to enhance their sleep habits and cut down on late-night phone usage.

The app is best suited for those with a regular work schedule or for anyone who wants to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day.

Background: Why I built the app

Like many others, I struggled with going to bed on time. I often found myself:

  • Staying up too late, even when I knew I had to wake up early the next day
  • Scrolling endlessly through social media
  • Reading news articles long past my planned bedtime

The habit of late-night phone use was negatively impacting my sleep, leading to fatigue and reduced productivity the next day. I was often tired the next day and I wanted to fix my sleep schedule. I wanted a very simple but effective solution that would force me to stop using my phone late at night. That’s how I created an app to block phone usage in the evenings to help me to get bed earlier. Check it out - maybe it can help you too.

Additionally, I was curious about the technical challenge of building such an app and wanted to learn some new technologies in the process.

Bedtime Police overlay screen - Block phone usage on bedtime

Bedtime Police home screen

App features

  1. Set your designated bedtime: Choose your bedtime, and the app will remind you beforehand. After your bedtime, it restricts phone usage by applying an overlay that blocks access to other apps.
  2. Custom Unlock Fee: To discourage late-night phone use, a small fee must be paid to unlock the phone during restricted hours. You can set the fee amount yourself.
  3. Emergency Access: In case of emergencies, the app allows you to unlock your phone for free for 3 sessions of 3 minutes each.
  4. Anti-Cheat Features:
    • Block Access to Android settings: During bedtime, you can block access to Android app settings, preventing you from stopping or uninstalling the app.
    • Prevent Force Stop: The app can prevent force stops during bedtime, ensuring it stays active and effective.
  5. Allow incoming calls: You can enable incoming calls during bedtime, so you don’t miss important calls while still reducing other distractions.

Technology Stack

  • React native (TypeScript) + native Java / Kotlin code for Android
  • User Interface: UI-Kitten
  • State management: React-Redux
  • Automated testing: Jest + Appium for end-to-end (E2E) testing

More info

The app is going to be launched soon.

Keywords: Digital detox app, Smartphone detox app, Sleep routine app, Bedtime routine app for android, App to fix sleep schedule, Evening routine app

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