Excessive Use Of Electronic Devices Prevents Some Teens From A Good Night's Rest

Is your teenager staring at the screen of an electronic device all day? If so, chances are that he or she may not be getting enough rest.

A new Norwegian study that examined over 10,000 16- to 19-year-olds asked how much screen time kids were spending outside of school hours on various electronic devices, including their computer, Mp3 player, smartphone, tablet, game console or TV.

The participants were asked questions about their sleep routines on the weekdays and weekends, including when they normally went to bed or got home, how much sleep they needed to feel rested and how long it took them to get to sleep most times.

Researchers found that the use of electronic devices leading up to bedtime increased the risk of preventing sleep by 60 minutes or more. They found this to be particularly true for use of smartphones, computers or Mp3 players an hour before bedtime.

Furthermore, there were some gender differences associated with use of electronic devices. While game console use tended to be more popular among boys, girls were more likely to use smartphones or Mp3 players leading up to bedtime.

Furthermore, more than 2 hours of screen time after school was strongly linked to both longer sleep onset latency and shorter sleep duration.

Keeping your teen away from his or her favorite electronic can be difficult. As it stands, for instance, it's recommended that there is no TV in a child's bedroom. However, other electronic devices should also be noted. Extensive use may interfere with the body clock, preventing adequate rest in some individuals.

More information regarding the findings can be seen via the journal BMJ Open.

For more great science stories and general news, please visit our sister site, Headlines and Global News (HNGN).