- A recent study from Norway suggests that an additional hour of screen use at bedtime significantly increases the risk of insomnia by 59% and reduces sleep by about 24 minutes.
- This research also points out that whether it’s social media, watching videos, or reading on a device, the impact on sleep is similarly disruptive.
- Although the role of blue light in sleep disturbance is debated, the consensus is that exposure to any intense light before sleep can impair sleep quality.
A large number of people are not getting sufficient sleep, despite its known benefits.
The Casper-Gallup State of Sleep in America report indicates that roughly one-third of American adults rate their sleep quality as either “fair” or “poor.” This percentage increases among younger adults.
Moreover, only 35% of people in the United States achieve the recommended eight hours of nightly sleep.
Among the factors influencing sleep quality and duration, recent findings from a Norwegian study show that using a mobile phone before sleeping can degrade sleep quality and reduce sleep duration.
The study, which involved over 45,000 young adults aged 18 to 28, found that each hour spent on screens at night heightened the risk of insomnia by 59% and decreased sleep length by 24 minutes. These findings were published on March 31 in Frontiers in Psychiatry.
Despite commonly held views that social media might be especially harmful to sleep, the study revealed that its impact is no greater than that of other screen activities,” explained Børg Sivertsen, PhD, a senior researcher at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health and the study’s senior author, in an interview with Healthline.
The research also looked into various screen activities such as watching TV and movies, gaming, listening to music or podcasts, and reading. Sivertsen mentioned that future research might explore the effects of using phones for work-related purposes before bed.
The Effects of Blue Light on Sleep
Prior studies have shown that the blue light emitted from digital screens can interrupt the natural sleep cycle and disrupt sleep.
Research has shown that exposure to blue light at night can interfere with the production of melatonin, a hormone that promotes sleep, prompting many smartphone manufacturers to introduce features that filter out blue light during evening hours.
Blue light can be beneficial during the day as it helps boost attention, mood, and reaction times.
However, some recent research suggests that the impact of blue light might not be as significant as previously thought. A study published in Nature found that exposure to blue and yellow light before bedtime did not significantly differ in their effects on sleep.
“Our brains are still wired like those of our ancestors who depended on the sun to regulate their schedules,” Dr. Leah Kaylor, a clinical psychologist, told Healthline. She emphasized that any intense light at night could disrupt sleep.
“Individual responses to light can vary significantly, with some people being more sensitive to its effects on melatonin suppression,” added Jonathan Cedernaes, PhD, a sleep expert from Uppsala Universitet in Sweden, who was not involved in the study.
The Detrimental Health Effects of Poor Sleep
Adequate sleep is essential for maintaining overall health, affecting several critical bodily functions.
- central nervous system
- immune system
- respiratory system
- digestive system
- cardiovascular system
- endocrine system
Lack of sleep over an extended period is a significant risk factor for several serious health issues, including hypertension, diabetes, obesity, depression, heart attack, and stroke.
Impact of Bedtime Social Media Use on Sleep
In light of his findings, Dr. Sivertsen noted that those who only engaged in social media before bed experienced less insomnia and slept longer than those who participated in other screen-related activities or a combination of them.
He speculated that social media might have a lesser effect on sleep because the social interaction it facilitates could be somewhat protective.
Conversely, a 2019 study indicated that screen use in general could disrupt sleep in adolescents and children, whether for social media, TV, gaming, or e-reading.
“Young people are more emotionally and socially sensitive, and social interactions can be more engaging and difficult to pull away from at bedtime,” Sivertsen suggested. He also mentioned that adolescents often experience a delayed sleep phase, which could be exacerbated by late-night screen use.
Despite these insights, Cedernaes pointed out that the relationship between social media use and sleep is complex, influenced by many variables, including an individual’s relationship with social media and their overall daily stress levels.
Practical Tips for Improved Sleep Hygiene
To improve sleep quality:
- Limit screen use before bed and choose less engaging activities like listening to music or audiobooks.
- To reduce blue light exposure, activate night-time screen settings like Night Shift on Apple devices or similar features on Android devices.
- Enable Do Not Disturb settings or keep your phone in another room to avoid disturbances from notifications or screen lights.
- Maintain a consistent sleep schedule to help regulate your body’s internal clock.
As research continues to explore the connections between screen use and sleep, adopting good sleep practices remains a wise choice.
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