A new study published in the Journal of Sleep Research found a complicated relationship between media use and bedtime and sleep quality and duration, with short, simple media use resulting in earlier bedtime and longer sleep duration.
Many factors contribute to sleep disturbance among young adults. Use of media is increasing rapidly, and little is known regarding its association with sleep disturbance. Previous research showed that social media use before bedtime in young adults resulted in reduced and poorer quality sleep.
The study examined how sleep might be impacted by media use – such as watching movies, television, or YouTube videos; browsing the Internet; or listening to music – before bed.
In the study, 58 adults kept a diary that recorded information related to time spent with media before bed, location of use, and multitasking. Electroencephalography captured parameters such as bedtime, total sleep time, and sleep quality.
Media use in the hour before sleep was associated with an earlier bedtime. If the before-bed use did not involve multitasking and was conducted in bed, it was also associated with more total sleep time. A long use of media associated with later bedtime and less total sleep time.
Sleep quality, operationalised as the percent of total sleep time spent in N3 and REM sleep, was unaffected by media use before bed.
“If you are going to use media, like watching TV or listening to music, before bed, keep it a short, focused session and you are unlikely to experience any negative outcomes in your sleep that night,” said lead author Morgan Ellithorpe, PhD, of the University of Delaware.
Source: Wiley
