Researcher - Light from electronic devices cause teenager to sleep less

[ahhming]

The research confirms long-standing assumptions about the effects of electronic devices on sleep, but scientists say the exact mechanisms at work still aren’t clear. Light from electronic devices could be affecting teenagers’ body clocks, for example, or there could be less obvious effects, such as the emotional stimulation from chatting with friends.

Researchers surveyed more than 10,000 16-to-19-year-olds from Norway, questioning them about their use of electronics and sleeping habits. Those who used gadgets including MP3 players, video game consoles, tablets, smartphones, and computers for more than five hours a day were three-and-a-half times more likely to sleep for fewer than five hours at night, and 49 percent likelier to need more than an hour to get to sleep.

Previous studies have found a link between the exposure to artificial light and decreases in melatonin, the hormone that controls our body clock.

 

Teenagers who use smartphones, laptops, and tablets more often than their peers take longer to fall asleep and sleep for less time overall, a new study published in the journal BMJ Open shows. The finding suggests that if teenagers want to sleep better, they should try looking at screens less.

 

BMJ Open

Abstract

Objectives Adolescents spend increasingly more time on electronic devices, and sleep deficiency rising in adolescents constitutes a major public health concern. The aim of the present study was to investigate daytime screen use and use of electronic devices before bedtime in relation to sleep.

Design

A large cross-sectional population-based survey study from 2012, the youth@hordaland study, in Hordaland County in Norway.

Setting

Cross-sectional general community-based study.

Participants

9846 adolescents from three age cohorts aged 16–19. The main independent variables were type and frequency of electronic devices at bedtime and hours of screen-time during leisure time.

Outcomes

Sleep variables calculated based on self-report including bedtime, rise time, time in bed, sleep duration, sleep onset latency and wake after sleep onset.

Results

Adolescents spent a large amount of time during the day and at bedtime using electronic devices. Daytime and bedtime use of electronic devices were both related to sleep measures, with an increased risk of short sleep duration, long sleep onset latency and increased sleep deficiency. A dose–response relationship emerged between sleep duration and use of electronic devices, exemplified by the association between PC use and risk of less than 5 h of sleep (OR=2.70, 95% CI 2.14 to 3.39), and comparable lower odds for 7–8 h of sleep (OR=1.64, 95% CI 1.38 to 1.96).

 

Conclusions

Use of electronic devices is frequent in adolescence, during the day as well as at bedtime. The results demonstrate a negative relation between use of technology and sleep, suggesting that recommendations on healthy media use could include restrictions on electronic devices.

 

 

source:

http://www.theverge.com/2015/2/3/7971479/teenagers-computer-screens-sleep-disruption

 

http://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/5/1/e006748

[Opcode]

Yes, my condition has a reason!

[Sidiox]

Ehm this has been known for ages? It reduces the production of Melatonine if I'm not mistaken. 

[XTankSlayerX]

This has been known for ages

Changes nothing... Not like my sleep is great anyways.

[Lazmarr]

Seems about right for my sleep...can get as low as 4 hours of sleep some days

[Trik'Stari]

 

There is no sleep, there is only internet. and the battlefield hardline beta

 

and caffeine, lots and LOTS OF CAFFEINE

[SMR]

I'm fucked. Bye sleep.

[qwertywarrior]

i stay the whole day on my laptop and sleep like 8 hours a day

 

this is kinda worrying

by these estimates if i dont use my laptop i could be in a coma .....

[Majinferno]

F.lux for the win!

I get 6 hours of sleep. 7 If I got rektd through the day.

[ShadowCaptain]

I spend 9 hours a day on pc at work

2-3 hours a night on my PC and say an hour or 2 on my phone

I get a minimum of 7-8 hours a night

[Misanthrope]

So.... Light in your fucking eyes is bad for you if you wanna sleep... Such science.

[zacRupnow]

NO FUCKING SHIT.

[mr moose]

but scientists say the exact mechanisms at work still aren’t clear.

 

 

Interesting they say that when there are other studies that tell us why.

[Scheer]

I dunno, sometimes my wife will let me game for 8 hours on a Friday night, and as long as my wife leaves me alone the next day I'll sleep a good 12-16 hours. 

 

I get away with that maybe twice a year though... 

 

Joking aside, it does make sense to a degree, but what about the fact that they are more likely to be staying up later because they want to do something on the PC, but still have to wake up at 7 am like everyone else? I could have missed it, but it doesn't seem like they are letting them sleep until they wake up on their own, its just asking how long the slept and ignoring the reason they woke up (e.g. alarm clock to get to work). It could just as well be interpreted as people who use devices with screens are more likely to stay up later.

[BurgerBum]

from age 12-22 falling asleep before aorund 11pm is extremely rare. its hard coded into teenagers.

screen time reduced the producing of this one chemical i cant fkn remember.

seeing as i am perfectly fine on like 4 hours of sleep a day, and i get 12... im not going to stopusing my tech.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

pirate metal.

[deVIZtation]

I use to be able to fall asleep pretty easy when I was in high school and college. I try to go to bed around 11pm, but usually don't pass out until 1pm. Sucks because I need to get up at 6am every morning for work. I have even tried blackout drapes, turning the surge protector off so nothing lights up in my room. 

[Guest]

Surely everyone knows this already. It affects different people to differing degrees. I am very sensitive to it. For example, if I look at my phone for too long after about 9:30pm I'll usually have a shit night. Conversely, one of my flatmates can stare at his laptop that's as bright as the face of the sun inside a well-lit room until 1:00am and still sleep through.

 

To figure out if it affects you, install f.lux and don't look at screens for at least an hour before you go to bed. Also limit the lighting around your house if possible. Do this for a week and see how you sleep.

[Suika]

I use my PC from 2-8 hours a day and my sleep averages around 8-12 hours.

 

What is this.

[Dabombinable]

Computers-the new substitute for coffee.

[kuddlesworth9419]

I could have said that from personal experience. And it's not just teenagers. I sleep less if I go straight from playing games or watching stuff on my PC to going to bed. I need to relax first and watch the news or something. I sleep about 5-8 hours varying. But it might also be my job, highly stressful so when you come back home you need to do something in-between sleeping otherwise you won't get to sleep. 

[Texhnlyze]

That's why when I sleep, I turn off everything including the Wi-Fi.

[SirPaul]

I am on my computer something between 4-12 hours (now even 16 ) a day from when i was 4 years old. I am 23 years old now.

I Can go to ERM Sleep phase in 2 minutes.
 

I am sleeping 5 hours a day and then 30 minutes after lunch.

I feel good.

It's not always true what researches find out.

[ForsakenLive]

These researches were conducted ages ago and are not mistaken.

It's a good practice avoiding screen light before bed, reading a chapter of a book before sodding off is a good way to prevent this.

[EChondo]

Guess this isn't proven for me. I could spend all day on my computer and still get 8-10 hours of sleep easily.

[Albatross]

Well, I don't sleep less and I use my devices a lot for work and studying, especially when I was a teenager...