Social Media Addiction Linked to Sleep Disorders

Nearly a Third of Young Adults Report Severe Disruptions

A recent study published in the journal Preventative Medicine found that social media addiction is linked to sleep disorders among young adults, reports the Regal Tribune. 

Prior trials had already proven the excessive use of computers and cell phones can severely disrupt the sleeping patterns of children and teens, but this study assessed the effects of social media addiction on young adults as well. A group of 1,788 individuals between the ages of 19 and 32 took part in the survey, which asked them to answer questions regarding how frequently they accessed various websites. This way, they were able to determine to what extent each participant indulged in personal networking (Facebook, Google Plus, Reddit), professional networking (LinkedIn), microblogging (Twitter, Tumblr), image sharing (Instagram, Pinterest), and video sharing (YouTube, Vine, Snapchat).

Researchers discovered that subjects dedicated approximately 61 minutes every day to social media and visited websites of the kind around 30 times a week. A large number of respondents experienced difficulty while trying to rest, with as many as 30 percent of the participants declaring that their sleep could be described as severely disrupted. Individuals whose frequency of checking websites like Facebook and Twitter was the highest were proven to be three times more at risk of suffering from insomnia, interrupted sleep, or similar issues. Subjects who accessed social medial for the most extensive lengths of time during the day were found to be twice as susceptible to various sleeping problems. 

Researchers believe this may be due to the bright light given off by devices used when accessing social media or that being addicted to websites of this kind simply makes people stay up longer or use social media when they are unable to sleep. 

The study’s authors say that it’s important to take note of these particularities of social media addiction, especially among younger adults, who were the first to indulge in social networking from an early age.

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