Sleep disorders in adolescents through screens

Sleep problems in adolescents due to too much time in front of the screen

05/02/2015

According to a new study, adolescents who spend a lot of time in front of screens often suffer from sleep disturbances. Norwegian researchers interviewed 10,000 young people for the study. Those who sleep too little also endanger their health.

Too little sleep due to too much time in front of the screen
A new study, which surveyed 10,000 young Norwegians aged 16 to 19, concludes that adolescents who spend too much time in front of screens of all kinds often suffer from sleep disorders. According to the news agency AFP, the risk of having too little and bad sleep for teenagers after four hours in front of a TV, computer, game console or smartphone is 49 percent higher than their peers who spent less than an hour in front of a computer screen.

Maximum use of electronic media
In the study, by the online science journal „BMJ Open“ published, it is said that sleep disorders are particularly common when teens spend the last hour before going to bed in front of a screen. The research group headed by Mari Hysing from the Center for Children's Medicine in Bergen, as a consequence of their study, calls on the authorities to improve existing recommendations to parents on the maximum use of electronic media.

Health hazard due to lack of sleep
Those who do not sleep adequately endanger their health. Studies have shown that people who sleep too little have an increased risk of diabetes. In addition, overweight and obesity or even depression can be the result of a permanent lack of sleep. Furthermore, it is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases such as myocardial infarction or hypertension. However, not only is the lack of sleep a danger to health, but also the hours sitting in front of the screen. For example, it can cause back pain, buttocks pain, neck tension or headaches. (Ad)