Messages, news and notifications can keep pulling your attention back into demand. You do not need to diagnose a dopamine problem to notice that the rhythm is leaving little space to settle.
Map the demand
Choose one part of the day and notice which inputs are necessary, which are useful and which you open automatically. Work messages, caring responsibilities and leisure are different demands; a useful boundary has to fit real life.
Create a small pause
Try silencing non-essential notifications during one meal, taking a short screen break, or deciding when you will next check messages. If a quiet activity helps you settle, keep it simple. A walk, reading or a few comfortable breaths may be enough to begin.
Observe without scoring yourself
Reflect on attention, sleep and how easy it feels to stop. This is a practical experiment, not a promise that less screen time will reset hormones. If worry, low mood or sleep problems persist, seek appropriate support.
Repair uses input and output mapping to make daily load easier to understand. The aim is a rhythm you can sustain, rather than another rigid rule.
Further reading: NCCIH: relaxation techniques and their limits.