Night-Time Screen Use: Study Links 50 Minutes of Weekly Sleep Loss to Pre-Sleep Phone Scrolling

Effects Of Screen Time At Night: Research has shown that excessive screen time can disrupt the body’s internal clock, leading to a reduction in sleep of approximately one hour per week. Let’s explore this in detail.

Effects Of Screen Time: In today’s time, screen time has increased so much that it has started affecting our sleep. Scrolling through your phone before sleeping can result in a loss of 50 minutes of sleep every week. Due to this habit, our body’s internal cycle gets disrupted, affecting the quality of sleep and preventing us from getting fully rested. So, let’s understand how this habit affects our sleep and what measures can be taken to avoid it.

Disturbances in the body’s internal cycles due to excessive screen viewing

Adults who regularly use mobile phones before bed are losing almost an hour of sleep every week. According to research by the American Cancer Society, excessive screen time daily can disrupt a person’s body’s 24-hour internal cycle. This cycle regulates our sleep-wake patterns, hormone production, body temperature, and other vital bodily functions.

This disruption results in approximately an hour less sleep each week. According to research published in the JAMA Network Journal, people who watch screens late into the night wake up later in the morning. Such individuals experience a disruption in their internal cycle and are unable to synchronise their schedules with daily activities. This leads to sleep disturbances.

Study on 122,000 people

The research involved a study of over 122,000 people. Of these, 41 percent scrolled on their phones before sleep every day. They were found to have a 33 percent higher likelihood of poor sleep compared to those who did not use screens.

Disruption of natural sleep cycle

The hormone melatonin is produced in our bodies in darkness, inducing sleep. According to research, the light emitted from phones and other digital screens prevents melatonin production. This disrupts the natural sleep cycle.

Ways to control screen time

To control screen time, avoid using your mobile phone for at least an hour before bed. To get a good night’s sleep, keep your phone away and create a comfortable sleep environment.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is intended only to raise awareness about diseases and health-related problems. It is not a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Therefore, readers are advised not to try any medication, treatment, or prescription on their own, but to consult an expert or doctor related to that medical specialty.