What are the disadvantages of using mobile phones before bed?
A new study shows that middle school students who spend a lot of time using smartphones, laptops and tablets in the hour before bedtime are more likely to sleep less restlessly and be more tired the next day.Bedtime on 345 children, aged 12 to 14, over a period of six months.
They found that spending time using digital media devices before going to bed disrupts sleep, and also has a "two-way" effect. That is, the lack of sleep led to more use of these devices.
“Using these devices leads to a worsening Difficulty and rotation in a vicious circle, as its use before bed causes a poor quality of sleep, and this increases over time its use before bedtime.
“Use of media devices in bedrooms has been associated with poorer sleep quality and quantity among adolescents,” said PhD student and lead author of the Sleep Health paper, Heather Leonard . focus .
The use of devices was very widespread; The study showed that 3 out of 4 students in the seventh and eighth grades of the students participating in the study, reported using their smartphones a lot.
“This number is very high for middle school students, but it is in line with national trends, and it is difficult for parents to direct this because of peer influence,” Khurana said.
The study found that teens who keep media devices in the bedroom are more likely to be preoccupied with using these devices at bedtime, and this may have a negative impact on their sleep and health. The time spent browsing or texting replaces the time they would have spent sleeping.
Watching videos or playing games may also over- stimulate young minds when they should be calm, as does the blue light emitted by these devices; During the day, students who reported using media devices before bed experienced more sleepiness and struggled to maintain attention .
The National Sleep Foundation and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend eliminating the habit of browsing electronic devices an hour before bed, and for steps parents and guardians can take, Leonard said they help. Setting ground rules for browsing or using the phone and leaving media devices out of bedrooms.
Khurana said that restricting media device use works well with younger teens than with older teens, and Leonard said, "I think with these young teens, you have a better chance as a parent to set some ground rules and enforce them consistently. To build good habits and establish healthy sleep habits early on, that will continue with them.
The researchers say that parents can also be role models for their children in implementing healthy behaviors when it comes to using their smartphones or laptops, as well as good, deep sleep.
"If parents use their phones in the bedroom, it's hard to convince kids not to," Khurana said.
Sleep plays a critical role at this age, and the potential long-term effects of poor sleep are widespread, and this contributes to conditions such as chronic inflammation and obesity, among others. It is an important area of research.
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