Teens losing sleep due to late-night phone use: Study

A recent study by the University of California, San Francisco, has reportedly found that many teenagers are staying awake late at night because of smartphone use, leading to poor sleep habits. Researchers reportedly discovered that more than half of the teenagers in the study used their phones during sleeping hours on school nights.

The study, published in JAMA Pediatrics, observed 657 teenagers with an average age of 15. The participants were part of the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, one of the largest long-term child health studies in the United States, as per reports. 

Researchers reportedly used a phone tracking app to monitor screen activity instead of depending only on what teenagers reported themselves. The results showed that 52.1% of participants were active on their phones between midnight and 4 am, which experts say is an important time for proper sleep.

Most of the overnight phone activity involved social media apps like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.On average, teens spent over 50 minutes on screens between 10 pm and 6 am during school nights, as per reports.

Lead researcher Jason Nagata reportedly said late-night phone use may happen because of notifications, difficulty sleeping, or the habit of checking phones after waking up during the night. He explained that social media content can also make it harder for teenagers to fall asleep again because it keeps the mind active and emotionally engaged.

The study also found that many teens sleep with phones or other electronic devices in their bedrooms, as per reports. Experts recommend that teenagers get 8 to 10 hours of sleep daily and suggest families create healthy screen-use habits at home. Parents are also encouraged to reduce screen access at bedtime to improve sleep quality.