Norwegian scientists calculated that every additional hour of screen time before bed increases the risk of insomnia by 59 percent. To do this, they surveyed 45,202 students on screen time and sleep quality. The odds of experiencing insomnia were 35 percent higher among those who combined social media use with other online activities compared to those who used social media exclusively. The study results were published in the journal Frontiers in Psychiatry.
Research on the effects of screen time typically focuses on children and adolescents. For these age groups, scientists have found a link between increased screen time before bed and difficulty falling asleep and daytime sleepiness. However, data on other groups is less available, although, for example, students spend approximately 12 hours a day in front of a screen. Excessive screen time before bed is also associated with difficulty falling asleep, shorter sleep duration, and frequent nighttime awakenings.
Furthermore, the impact of specific screen activities (social media, internet surfing, video viewing) has been poorly studied. Therefore, a team of scientists led by Boerge Sivertesn of the Norwegian Institute of Public Health examined the screen time distribution among Norwegian students before bed and how it relates to sleep quality. The study involved 45,202 people (aged 18 to 28). Participants were asked whether they spent time on screens before bed and what content they preferred. They also collected data on sleep quality using questionnaires. For statistical analysis, the scientists used logistic regression and linear regression.
It turned out that students who don't use gadgets before bed were 24 percent less likely to experience insomnia than those who did. The researchers calculated that each additional hour of screen time increased the risk of insomnia by 59 percent.
The researchers then compared the sleep quality of those who exclusively used social media before bed with those who also engaged in other online activities. The odds of experiencing insomnia were 35 percent higher in the latter group.
The study has its limitations: it didn't take into account the content the participants viewed, nor did it take into account their mental health, eating habits, or other factors that influence sleep. These factors should be the subject of further research in this area.
Extended computer and mobile phone use is associated not only with an increased risk of insomnia but also with higher levels of stress and depressive symptoms in adolescence, according to a study by Finnish scientists.
