Smartphone addiction: effects on sleep and what you can do

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The study, published Tuesday in Frontiers in Psychiatry, looked at smartphone use among 1,043 students aged 18 to 30 at King’s College London. The researchers asked the students to complete two questionnaires about the quality of their sleep and the use of their smartphones, in person and online.

Using a validated 10-question scale that was developed to rate smartphone addiction in children, nearly 40% of college students qualified as “addicted” to smartphones, according to the study.

“Our estimated prevalence is consistent with other studies reported in populations of young adults around the world, which are in the range of 30-45%,” wrote senior author and King’s College medical student Sei Yon. Sohn and his co-authors in the study.

“Duration of subsequent use was also significantly associated with smartphone addiction, with use after 1 a.m. conferring a 3-fold risk,” the authors wrote.

The study found that students who reported high cellphone use also reported poor quality of sleep. This matches previous studies which have shown that overuse of smartphones at night is associated with difficulty falling asleep, reduced sleep duration, and daytime fatigue. This is probably because using smartphones near bedtime has been shown to delay the circadian rhythm, the body’s normal sleep and wake clock.
Consider switching your screen to grayscale mode, which will make it less attractive, experts say.
In fact, rule # 1 is “no computers, cellphones and PDAs in bed and at least an hour before bedtime,” Dr Vsevolod Polotsky, who heads basic sleep research in the division of pulmonary medicine and intensive care. at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, told CNN in a recent interview.

This is because “any LED spectrum light source can further suppress melatonin levels,” Polotsky said. Melatonin, secreted in a 24-hour daily circadian rhythm, is often referred to as the “sleep hormone” because we sleep better at night when levels reach their peak.

Reaction to the study

“This is a cross-sectional study and, as such, cannot lead to any definitive conclusions about the use of the telephone as the cause of reduced sleep quality,” said Bob Patton, professor of clinical psychology at the University of Surrey, by email.

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“It does, however, provide compelling evidence that the nature of smartphone use and its associated consequences are important considerations in tackling the emerging phenomenon of ‘smartphone addiction’,” said Patton, head of the Drugs division. , Alcohol & Addictive Behaviors. Research group at the university.

Andrew Przybylski, senior researcher and associate professor at the University of Oxford, disputed that science has validated any “smartphone addiction” because it is “not recognized by any global health body and is not a psychiatric disorder ”.

“Readers should beware of drawing definitive conclusions about the impact of smartphone use on the general population, or the idea that they are addictive in an objective sense, based on this work. “Przybylski, also director of research at the Oxford Internet Institute, said by email.

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The authors acknowledged the limitations of their study, but said: “If smartphone addiction becomes firmly established as a clinical concern, those who use their phones after midnight or who use their phones for 4 hours or more per day are likely to be at high risk. “

Fight to earn zzz

Cell phone addiction is also known as nomophobia, which stands for NO MObile PHOne phoBIA – a 21st century term for fear of not being able to use your cell phone or other smart device. Are you one of the drug addicts? There is a quiz you can take to find out.
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If you, or a loved one, seem to be exhibiting symptoms of a smart device or internet addiction, the experts have a few suggestions.

Plan for expiration times. First of all, turn off your phone at certain times of the day, such as when you are attending meetings, having dinner, playing with your kids, and of course driving.

Prohibit applications from mobile devices. Remove social media apps, like Facebook and Twitter, from your phone, and check in only from your laptop. Try to wean yourself off at 15-minute intervals at specific times of the day when it won’t affect your work or family life.

Switch to the gray scale. Experts suggest going black and white. Pretty colors are engaging, while gray is boring.

Replace. Try replacing your smart device’s time with healthier activities such as meditation or interacting with real people.

Improve sleep. Do not bring your cell phone and its harmful blue light to bed. Use an old-fashioned alarm to wake you up.

You can also subscribe to CNN Sleep News Series, But Better. We will teach you the best tips to improve your zzz.

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