The Impact of Social Media Use on Adolescents Sleeping Quality

The Impact of Social Media Use on Adolescents Sleeping Quality

Ricardo Costa Lima

Brigham Young University – Idaho

Abstract

The main purpose of this study is to examine the effects that different daily amounts of social media use have on the quality of sleep among adolescents of Portuguese secondary schools. A random sample of 80 high-school Portuguese students from 12 to 16 years old (40 males and 40 females) was separated in three groups according to the quantity of daily social media use. The results indicate a positive correlation between the group of adolescents that are on the hard-use scale of social media, which means that these students use an average of more than 4 hours of social media daily. This study reinforces the tendency that other related studies suggested that there is a positive correlation between quantity of social media daily use and sleeping quantity and quality.

The Impact of Social Media Use on Adolescents Sleeping Quality

             With the increase of social media use among adolescents many researchers have been studying the impact of that digital technologies have on adolescents sleeping quality or efficiency. In a study by Ghekiere, et al (2016), the researchers found that there is a negative correlation between text message, media use after bed-time with sleeping efficiency. Researchers Husarova, D., Blinka, L., Geckova, A. M., Sirucek, J., van Dijk, J. P., & Reijneveld, S. A. (2018) showed a positive correlation between adolescent´s time used on digital equipment’s during free time and an increase consumption of energy drinks and a lower quality of sleeping. In another study made by Schweizer, A., Barrense-Dias, Y., Akre, C., Suris, J.-C., Berchtold, A., Schweizer, A., & Berchtold, A. (2017) the results showed that sleeping perturbance are positively correlated with owning a smartphone during adolescence, therefore, adolescents and parents should be informed about the potential consequences of smartphone use on sleep and health.

From King, D. L., Delfabbro, P. H., Zwaans, T., & Kaptsis, D. (2014) study, researchers acknowledge that most adolescents of this study reported that electronic media use interferes with their bedtime delay, 71% during the weekday reported sleep deprivations, and 53% on weekend nights. A study by Peiró-Velert, C. et al (2014) the researchers concluded that there is a direct relationship between computer use, television watching, and mobile playing with sleeping time and subsequently with academic performance, they also provide significant guidance for health professionals on their approach and therapies for adolescent´s sleeping problems caused by pathological media used.

Stockburger, S. J., & Omar, H. A. (2013) obtained their data through literature review of articles published in the last 10 years. They studied about several other researchers and they concluded that there is an increase evidence that support the correlation between internet users and social media use is associated with the decrease of sleeping quality among adolescents. In another study by Cruz, F. A. D., Scatena, A., Andrade, A. L. M., & de Micheli, D. (2018) made among Brazilian adolescents, the results showed a strong correlation between internet addiction and poor levels of quality of life, including poor sleep quality.

Many studies in the last decade provide numerous evidence that showed a strong correlation between the amount of daily social media use and sleeping quality among adolescents. It seems that the increase of technological advances and owning a smartphone with internet access during early years of adolescence powers the use of social media, such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, among others, with consequences on the quantity and quality of sleeping. Many adolescents retard their sleeping time in detriment of social media use, decreasing their quantity of sleeping with influence on the sleeping quality. The purpose of this study is to analyze the effects that different daily amount of social media use has on sleep quality among adolescents of Portuguese high-schools.  I hypothesize that there is a positive correlation between the amount of daily social media use and sleeping quality, the more the adolescent´s use social media each day the less will be their sleeping quality. 

Method

Participants

            The participants for this study were chosen from two high schools from the city of Braga, Portugal. The board of education of each school gave permission to conduct this study. A random sample of 80 students from 12 to 16 years old (40 males and 40 females) were separated in three groups according to the quantity of social media use.

Materials

            To calculate the amount of daily social media use, each participant was invited to fulfill a pretest form with details about what are there favorite social media platform and how many hours in average they spent interacting on these platforms. During the experiment, each participant received an activity tracker device (Fitbit) to measure the sleeping quality during the treatment period. After two weeks of measurements the data was collected using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software to calculate and analyze the results.

Procedures

            With the authorization of the board of the school were chosen several classes that have students within the range of analyzes. To the students chosen was distributed paper invitations with the corresponding legal authorization that must be signed by the parents. To improve the number of volunteers it was promise a 5,00 € gift card (to be use in a local store) as a participation prize. Before the experiment, each participant completed a pretest evaluation form to calculate the amount of daily social media use. The results were divided in a 3-scale order. Light-use: less than 2 hours; medium-use: 2 to 4 hours; and hard-use: more than 4 hours per day.

After the groups were established, each participant received a Fitbit bracelet to track the sleep activity. For two weeks, the three groups were invited to maintain their social media use habits. The results were automatically sent to our data base and compiled during the two-week treatment period. After this period the results were analyzed, and conclusion were made using the SPSS software.

Results

            The results indicate a positive correlation between the group of adolescents that are situated on the hard-use scale of social media, which means that these students use an average of more than 4 hours of social media daily. Compared with the other two groups, the light-use and medium-use, the hard-use group reported less sleeping time per day. Some participants in this group (18) reported in the posttest procedures that sleeping less was related with intense periods of somnolence during the morning class periods, with impact on their academic grades. On the other hand, we did not find any correlation on the light-use and medium-use groups. The patterns of this groups were very similar in sleeping patterns, with a slight difference of sleeping improvement related to less media use.

Discussion

            In the beginning of this study I hypothesize that there is a positive correlation between the amount of daily social media use and sleeping quality, the more the adolescent´s use social media each day the less will be their sleeping quality.  This study reinforces the tendency that other related studies suggested that there is a positive correlation between quantity of social media daily use and sleeping quantity and quality. Some weakness was found in this study. First, the reported daily media use could vary from light to hard during a period of two weeks, further investigation is primal to control this extraneous variable. Second, the quantity of sleeping measure during this research could not always represent quality, some participants have fewer sleeping necessities than others, future research is suggested.

            Since the advent of the internet revolution, researchers have tried to give the best studies possible to analyze the impact of technologies on people´s life. I hope with this study to contribute to raise awareness of the impact that excessive social media use has on the sleeping quantity and subsequent quality on adolescent´s lives.     

References

Fobian, A. D., Avis, K., & Schwebel, D. C. (2016). Impact of media use on adolescent sleep efficiency. Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, 37(1), 9–14. https://doi-org.byui.idm.oclc.org/10.1097/DBP.0000000000000239

Ghekiere, A., Van Cauwenberg, J., Vandendriessche, A., Inchley, J., Gaspar de Matos, M., Borraccino, A., … De Clercq, B. (2018). Trends in sleeping difficulties among european adolescents: Are these associated with physical inactivity and excessive screen time? International Journal of Public Health, 45(2). https://doi-org.byui.idm.oclc.org/10.1007/s00038-018-1188-1

Husarova, D., Blinka, L., Geckova, A. M., Sirucek, J., van Dijk, J. P., & Reijneveld, S. A. (2018). Do sleeping habits mediate the association between time spent on digital devices and school problems in adolescence? European Journal of Public Health, 28(3), 463–468. https://doi-org.byui.idm.oclc.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckx198

Schweizer, A., Barrense-Dias, Y., Akre, C., Suris, J.-C., Berchtold, A., Schweizer, A., & Berchtold, A. (2017). Adolescents with a smartphone sleep less than their peers. European Journal of Pediatrics, 176(1), 131–136. https://doi-org.byui.idm.oclc.org/10.1007/s00431-016-2823-6

Stockburger, S. J., & Omar, H. A. (2013). Internet addiction, media use, and difficulties associated with sleeping in adolescents. International Journal of Child and Adolescent Health, 6(4), 459–463. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com.byui.idm.oclc.org/login.aspx?direct=true&db=psyh&AN=2014-01492-012&site=ehost-live

Cruz, F. A. D., Scatena, A., Andrade, A. L. M., & de Micheli, D. (2018). Evaluation of Internet addiction and the quality of life of Brazilian adolescents from public and private schools/Avaliacao da dependencia de Internet e qualidade de vida em adolescentes Brasileiros de escolas publicas e particulares. Estudos de Psicologia, (2), 193. https://doi.org/10.1590/1982-02752018000200008