If you’re guilty of scrolling through Instagram every time you feel a little bored (raises hand), then listen up: A new study has warned that just one hour of social media use per day could be enough to destroy your sleeping patterns. Yep, that’s one hour.
Canadian researchers conducted the study to look at why so many young people are struggling to get the required eight hours of shut-eye every night. They specifically looked at young people under the age of 20 and found the biggest problem is social media. People who spend at least 60 minutes on apps like Facebook, Whatsapp, or Snapchat had more sleep issues than those who spend less time. And, the more time spent on the social media platforms, the less sleep they got.
Senior author on the study, Dr Jean-Philippe Chaput of the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute explained: “Importantly, significant associations were found when social media use exceeded one hour per day, suggesting that even this level of social media may be negatively associated with sleep duration.”
He added that researchers are keen to learn more about the impact our modern social media habits are having on our health. “The impact social media can have on sleep patterns is a topic of great interest given the well-known adverse effects of sleep deprivation on health,” he said, adding: “Electronic screen devices are pervasive in today’s society and we are just starting to understand their risks and benefits.”
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Spending This Much Time on Social Media Will Ruin Your Sleeping Patterns
Yikes.
