We know that being attached to the smartphone before sleeping is not a good idea (but we do it the same): now a study conducted on over 45,200 young Norwegian young people between 18 and 28 years of age confirms the screen-insomnia correlation, however revealing that disturbed sleep would not be the fault of blue light or interactive activity on social media, but simply time stolen from rest to stay on cell phones and tablets once under the covers. “What engraves is not what we do, but the time we spend watching the screen,” explains Gunhild Johnsen Hjetland, coordinator of the study published on Frontiers in Psychiatry.
Screen and health. Use smartphones and tablets affects sleep in different ways: notifications disturb us as we sleep, the time spent on the screens replaces the past one in the arms of Morfeo and makes us take longer to fall asleep, and be exposed to light delays the circadian rhythms. “Sleep disorders are widespread among students and have large implications for mental health, academic performance and general well -being,” explains Hjetland.
The study. The researchers first asked the participants if they used smartphones or tablets after going to bed, and for how long; The boys then had to identify the types of activities they carried out – watch a movie or a series, play, be on social media, surf the internet, listen to podcasts or audio, or read study materials – indicate the time they went to bed and the one in which they got up, how long they took to fall asleep and if they were sleepy during the day. Having collected the answers, scholars divided the participants into three categories: Who was only on social networks, those who were not there at all, and those who carried out various activities (including navigation on Instagram & Co).
The results. What has been discovered highlights that being exposed to the smartphone and tablet screen for an hour after going to sleep increases the 59% the risk of suffering from insomnia (understood as difficulties in falling asleep and tired during the day at least three times a week for at least three months), and reduces the duration of sleep of 24 minutes.
Although the authors expected the use of social media to be the main responsible for a bad night of sleep – given the interactive nature of WhatsApp & Co and the possible emotional stimuli that derive from it -, the results clearly show that it is The time spent with eyes on the screen that makes us sleep badly, because the moment of falling asleep posts. “The ideal would be stop watching smartphones and tablets at least 30-60 minutes before sleepingand in any case disable notifications at night, “suggests Hjetland.
