This is the rather surprising conclusion of two separate studies that evaluated the impact on sleep of the use of screens before sleep. Both reveal that moderate use and that does not extend too much over time does not prevent the user from having a good night’s sleep. On the other hand, social networks are more harmful than average.
We no longer count the number of studies that are interested in the link between the use of a smartphone or a PC before sleeping and sleep disorders. Generally, scientists are even unanimous on the topic : watching a screen to fall asleep is a very bad idea. Also, when two studies arrive at the opposite conclusion, this is a small surprise for all those who make sure to read a good book every night so as not to give in to temptation.
The first study, conducted by the Journal of Sleep Research, is interested in media consumption as a whole: series, podcast, TV, etc. “We wanted to look only at what could be called “entertainment media””, said Lindsay Hahn, coauthor of the study. “Despite the attention paid to social media, both in research circles and in popular culture, American time use surveys show that people still spend a lot of time with TV, music and books. »
You can watch a series before sleeping, but not for too long
The result is equivocal. Of the 58 adults surveyed, the researchers found thatnone have seen their sleep quality impacted by its use of screens. Even more surprisingly, some even slept longer thanks to this habit. However, the study warns against hasty conclusions. In fact, it all depends on the type of media consumed, and especially on the duration of use.
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“We found that media use just before the onset of sleep is associated with an earlier bedtime and a longer total sleep duration, as long as the duration of use is relatively short and you are not multitasking, such as texting or scrolling through social networks simultaneously”, Hahn said.
The researchers thus specify that “watching a streaming service or listening to a podcast before bed can serve as a passive and soothing activity that improves certain aspects of your sleep”. On the other hand, spend a certain amount of time, screens are bad for sleep again. “If you use media, such as watching TV or listening to music, before going to bed, make sure that the session is short and focused”, advises Morgan Ellithorpe, co-author of the study.
Social networks, bad sleep pupils
The journal Sleep Medicine, meanwhile, looked at the impact of social networks on the sleep of its users. A previous study had already designated TikTok as the worst app to check out before sleeping. This time, the researchers asked 32 volunteers to spend several nights in the laboratory. Three of them were “neutral”. The next, the subjects relaxed with relaxation exercises before sleeping. Finally, on the last night they were allowed to go to social networks for 30 minutes.
Not surprisingly, the best night was the one following the relaxation exercises. Nevertheless, the researchers found that the 30 minutes of social networks did not have no noticeable effect on sleep voluntary. The study nevertheless advises avoiding their use at bedtime, as it could last longer than necessary and affect sleep time.
“Delaying bedtime due to prolonged media use could have other adverse effects on sleep and sleep duration that go beyond the results of this study, especially considering that wake-up times are externally determined by school or work schedules”, the study concludes.
Source : Journal of Sleep Research and Sleep Medicine