One in five young people has the habit of losing sleep due to social media, waking up during night hours either to check or to send messages. According to research, this type of sleeping disruption makes children up to three times more prone to be constantly tired at school compared to children who do not check social media at night.
Additionally, the research raises concern that this kind of behavior could make the children feel less happy, and that it could affect their overall well-being.
Checking Social Media During The Night Makes Teens Tired And Unhappy
The research was carried out on more than 900 children, aged between 12 and 15. They had to complete a questionnaire about their night's sleep and the social media use during the night. The children were also asked about how they would rank their happiness in different aspects of their life, from school to the way they look and the friendships they have.
"There are increasing concerns that social pressures, such as family changes and social media, are 'invading' the sanctuary of the bedroom with the result that students arrive at school tired and stressed. [...]The paper concludes by arguing for more research on the complex social causes and consequences of sleep deprivation among today's youth," noted the study.
While one of five reported "almost always" waking up during the night to check social media, girls were much likely to have this habit compared to their counterparts. Children who reported being almost always tired at school also noted that they were significantly unhappier compared to other children their ages.
While social media has become an integrated part of our lives, it is highly important to educate children and teens to be extremely careful with the amount of time they spend on social media, as it can massively influence their wellbeing.
"Our research shows that a small but significant number of children and young people say that they often go to school feeling tired - and these are the same young people who also have the lowest levels of well-being," noted aid author Professor Sally Power.
Fear Of Missing Out And Social Media Among Teens
The phenomenon known as the fear of missing out, also named FOMO, has been linked to depression among teenagers, according to another study. That research was conducted on teens aged from 13 to 17, concluding that the presence on social media can be correlated with depression, because of the FOMO phenomenon.
"There is a very strong positive correlation between the hours spent on digital technology and higher stress and depression," noted the lead author of that research.
Additionally, other study suggests that heavy use of social media can be linked to depression regardless of age, given the constant comparison and the edited versions of ourselves that we expose online. The research author suggested that it may be possible for people who are already depressed to turn on social media to fill a void. However, when it comes to teenagers, it is rarely the case, and it is most likely the other way around.
