"Leave your smartphone out of bed": quantitative analysis of smartphone use effect on sleep quality

Problematic smartphone use and mental health outcomes among Singapore residents: The health and lifestyle survey

BACKGROUND

The excessive use of smartphones and its association with adverse outcomes has been widely reported, with several studies showing an association between smartphone overuse, depression, anxiety, and sleep-related problems.

METHODS

The study used data from the Health and Lifestyle Survey, a nationwide population survey. It examined the prevalence of Problematic Smartphone Use (PSU) and its association with mental health outcomes among Singapore residents aged 15-65 years.

PARTICIPANTS

Participants were assessed for PSU using the Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version, psychological distress with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and Generalised Anxiety Disorder -7 questionnaire, sleep problems using the Insomnia Severity Index, and positive mental health with Rapid Positive Mental Health Instrument.

RESULTS

In all, 6509 participants completed the survey, giving a survey response rate of 73.2 %. The prevalence of PSU was 30.2 % in the population. Individuals with PSU were more likely to have symptoms of moderate or severe depression (OR: 3.2, 95 % CI: 2.4-4.4), anxiety (OR: 3.4, 95 % CI: 2.4-4.8), insomnia (OR: 3.4, 95 % CI: 2.8-4.2), and poorer positive mental health (β: -0.3, 95 % CI: -0.4 to -0.2).

CONCLUSIONS

The study is the first to examine PSU in a national sample of Singaporeans across a wide age range. It provides valuable insights into mental health comorbidities among those with PSU, which is useful for practitioners.

Effects of evening smartphone use on sleep and declarative memory consolidation in male adolescents and young adults

Exposure to short-wavelength light before bedtime is known to disrupt nocturnal melatonin secretion and can impair subsequent sleep. However, while it has been demonstrated that older adults are less affected by short-wavelength light, there is limited research exploring differences between adolescents and young adults. Furthermore, it remains unclear whether the effects of evening short-wavelength light on sleep architecture extend to sleep-related processes, such as declarative memory consolidation. Here, we recorded polysomnography from 33 male adolescents (15.42 ± 0.97 years) and 35 male young adults (21.51 ± 2.06 years) in a within-subject design during three different nights to investigate the impact of reading for 90 min either on a smartphone with or without a blue-light filter or from a printed book. We measured subjective sleepiness, melatonin secretion, sleep physiology and sleep-dependent memory consolidation. While subjective sleepiness remained unaffected, we observed a significant melatonin attenuation effect in both age groups immediately after reading on the smartphone without a blue-light filter. Interestingly, adolescents fully recovered from the melatonin attenuation in the following 50 min before bedtime, whereas adults still, at bedtime, exhibited significantly reduced melatonin levels. Sleep-dependent memory consolidation and the coupling between sleep spindles and slow oscillations were not affected by short-wavelength light in both age groups. Nevertheless, adults showed a reduction in N3 sleep during the first night quarter. In summary, avoiding smartphone use in the last hour before bedtime is advisable for adolescents and young adults to prevent sleep disturbances. Our research empirically supports general sleep hygiene advice and can inform future recommendations regarding the use of smartphones and other screen-based devices before bedtime.

Sleep Patterns in Patients After Solid Organ Transplantation Including Gender and Age Differences. Survey Results From One Transplantation Centre in Poland

INTRODUCTION

Sleep plays a crucial role in maintaining health. Transplant patients are exposed to numerous stressors and are at risk of sleep disturbances. The aim of this study was to assess the sleep patterns of transplant patients.

METHODS

An anonymous paper survey was carried out among patients from one transplant center in Poland. Respondents were asked about the quality and quantity of sleep and the overall impact of the transplantation on their night rest. Data were collected from June to November 2023.

RESULTS

Data were obtained from 212 respondents (122 males and 90 females), aged 48.38 ± 13.68. The positive impact of transplantation on sleep hygiene was indicated by 57.4% of respondents, 28.9% observed no impact, and 13.6% rated the impact as negative. Our study showed that sleep is more satisfying in males than in females (62.8% of males and 46.7% of females). The analysis revealed that 38.9% of females need 30 minutes more than men to fall asleep. Additionally, females tend to get up half an hour later compared to men. About 71.9% of males declared good well-being the next day compared to 62.2% of females. Furthermore females declared more sleepiness the next day. The study also showed that older transplant recipients (over 50 years-of-age) report more frequent awakenings at night.

CONCLUSIONS

The data collected showed differences in sleep patterns according to gender and age. Females and older patients should be screened for sleep disturbances during post-transplantation care.

Relationship between Problematic Smartphone Use, Sleep Quality and Bedtime Procrastination: A Mediation Analysis

The purpose of this investigation was to study the relationship between sleep quality, problematic smartphone use (PSU) and bedtime procrastination, as well as to assess gender and age differences. A total of 313 participants, aged 18-60 (M = 30 ± 10.1; 53.2% males), completed an online survey between February and May 2023 in Spain. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Smartphone Addiction Scale-Short Version and Bedtime Procrastination Scale were used to measure sleep quality, PSU and bedtime procrastination, respectively. Additionally, smartphone use habits were evaluated through self-report questions. Pearson correlations, independent samples t-tests, one-way ANOVA, Bonferroni's post hoc tests and mediation analysis were conducted. Correlation analysis showed positive associations between the three main variables. Independent sample t-tests indicated females were more prone to PSU along with higher overall smartphone use. Post hoc analysis of one-way ANOVA exposed age differences between young adults (18-25 years old), adults (26-44 years old) and middle-aged adults (45-60 years old) in PSU and bedtime procrastination. Finally, mediation analysis revealed that PSU had indirect effects on sleep quality through bedtime procrastination, but no direct effects on sleep quality. Therefore, PSU, and especially bedtime procrastination, should be considered as targets in future campaigns or intervention programs to improve sleep quality among the young Spanish population.

Cohort profile: The SmartSleep Study, Denmark, combining evidence from survey, clinical and tracking data

PURPOSE

The SmartSleep Study is established to comprehensively assess the impact of night-time smartphone use on sleep patterns and health. An innovative combination of large-scale repeated survey information, high-resolution sensor-driven smartphone data, in-depth clinical examination and registry linkage allows for detailed investigations into multisystem physiological dysregulation and long-term health consequences associated with night-time smartphone use and sleep impairment.

PARTICIPANTS

The SmartSleep Study consists of three interconnected data samples, which combined include 30 673 individuals with information on smartphone use, sleep and health. Subsamples of the study population also include high-resolution tracking data (n=5927) collected via a customised app and deep clinical phenotypical data (n=245). A total of 7208 participants are followed in nationwide health registries with full data coverage and long-term follow-up.

FINDINGS TO DATE

We highlight previous findings on the relation between smartphone use and sleep in the SmartSleep Study, and we evaluate the interventional potential of the citizen science approach used in one of the data samples. We also present new results from an analysis in which we use 803 000 data points from the high-resolution tracking data to identify clusters of temporal trajectories of night-time smartphone use that characterise distinct use patterns. Based on these objective tracking data, we characterise four clusters of night-time smartphone use.

FUTURE PLANS

The unprecedented size and coverage of the SmartSleep Study allow for a comprehensive documentation of smartphone activity during the entire sleep span. The study has been expanded by linkage to nationwide registers, which allow for further investigations into the long-term health and social consequences of night-time smartphone use. We also plan new rounds of data collection in the coming years.