Screen time use linked to increased insomnia and reduced sleep

Recent research highlights the negative impact of screen use on sleep quality. A large study conducted in Norway involving over 45,000 university students found that each additional hour of screen use before bed increased the likelihood of insomnia symptoms by 59% and reduced sleep duration by approximately 24 minutes.

Additionally, a study published in JAMA Network Open involving 122,058 US adults indicated that individuals who use screens in bed every night are 33% more likely to report poor sleep and lose about 50 minutes of sleep per week compared to those who do not.

Factors contributing to sleep disruption include mental arousal from engaging content and the suppression of melatonin due to light exposure. Experts suggest that technology may only assist sleep when it works in the background, such as through automated dimming or app locks, rather than providing more screen-based engagement.