Turn off Your Phones! Screen Use Before Bed Increases Insomnia Risk by 60%

Researchers identified that notifications disturb sleep, screen time replaces sleeping time, screen activities delay sleep onset, and exposure to screen light interferes with circadian rhythms.

By Shikha Tue, 01 Apr 2025 14:18:26 IST

An hour of screen use before sleep could increase the risk of insomnia by nearly 60% and reduce sleep time by about half an hour, according to a new study. The research, conducted by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, surveyed over 45,000 students aged 18-28 about their sleep habits, including the duration and purpose of screen use before bed.

“The type of screen activity does not appear to matter as much as the overall time spent using screens in bed,” said Gunnhild Johnsen Hjetland, lead author of the study published in Frontiers in Psychiatry. “We found no significant differences between social media and other screen activities, suggesting that screen use itself is the key factor in sleep disruption -- likely due to time displacement, where screen use delays sleep by taking up time that would otherwise be spent resting.”

Insomnia is typically defined as taking more than 30 minutes to fall asleep or experiencing frequent nighttime awakenings. It can result in poor sleep quality, leaving individuals feeling tired during the day and affecting daily activities.

Researchers identified four ways screen use disrupts sleep: notifications disturb sleep, screen time replaces sleeping time, screen activities delay sleep onset, and exposure to screen light interferes with circadian rhythms.

“A one-hour increase in screen time after going to bed was associated with 59% higher odds of insomnia symptoms and a reduction in sleep duration of 24 minutes,” the study reported. Notably, the type of screen activity — whether social media or movies — did not significantly impact sleep, highlighting that screen exposure itself was the primary issue.

Hjetland advised those experiencing sleep difficulties to reduce screen use before bed, ideally stopping at least 30-60 minutes prior to sleep. “If you do use screens, consider disabling notifications to minimize disruptions during the night,” she added.

The findings underscore the impact of screen habits on sleep quality, with significant implications for mental health and well-being, particularly among students.