The use of smartphone and screens in general in bed can increase the risk of insomnia of the 59 percent. This is highlighted by a study, published in the magazine Frontiers in Psychiatry conducted by the scientists of Norwegian Institute of Public Health. The team, led by Gunnhild Johnsen Hjetland considered the data collected by beyond 45 thousand young adults in Norway who responded to a survey relating to daily habits.
The importance of sleep and the effects of the screens
“Il sleep It is essential for our physical and mental health, “says Hjetland,” but many people don’t sleep enough. We know that the use of screens can influence the circadian rhythmsbut so far the studies aimed at evaluating the impacts of telephones on sleep health have focused on teenage populations. “In the survey, the researchers considered the data of 45,202 participants aged between 18 and 28 yearswho reported their habits relating to the use of screens.
The results of the study
Volunteers were asked to report the type of activity carried out and the Time spent on the phonein addition to the falling and awakening times. The results report the authors, they suggested that using the screen for an hour after spreading in bed increases the risk of insomnia of the 59 percent and reduces the sleep time Of 24 minutes. Curiously, no significant distinctions have emerged on the basis of the type of activity performed on the smartphone.
Expert advice to improve sleep quality
“We recommend everyone to reduce the use of the smartphone between 30 and 60 minutes Before sleeping, “adds Hjetland.” In the next step, it will be interesting to evaluate wider and more varied cohorts. There may be significant differences in the relationship between the use of the screen and sleep on a global level “.
Next developments in research
“Overall,” he concludes, “our work does not allow to determine the link of causalityand we have not included physiological assessments, which could provide more precise information on sleep models. It will therefore be necessary to conduct further insights “.