Citation

Perrault AA, Bayer L, Peuvrier M, Afyouni A, Ghisletta P, Brockmann C, Spiridon M, Hulo Vesely S, Haller DM, Pichon S, Perrig S, Schwartz S, Sterpenich V. Sleep 2019; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Affiliation

Swiss Center for Affective Science, Geneva, Switzerland.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2019, American Academy of Sleep Medicine, Publisher Associated Professional Sleep Societies)

DOI

10.1093/sleep/zsz125

PMID

31260534

Abstract

The use of screen electronic devices in the evening negatively affects sleep. Yet, sleep is known to be essential for brain maturation and a key factor for good academic performance, and thus is particularly critical during childhood and adolescence. Although previous studies reported associations between screen time and sleep impairment, their causal relationship in adolescents remains unclear. Using actigraphy and daily questionnaires in a large sample of students (12 to 19 years old), we assessed screen time in the evening and sleep habits over 1 month. This included a 2 week baseline phase, followed by a 40 min sleep education workshop and a 2 week interventional phase, in which participants were asked to stop using screen devices after 9 pm during school nights. During the interventional phase, we found that the reduction of screen time after 9 pm correlated with earlier sleep onset time and increased total sleep duration. The latter led to improved daytime vigilance. These findings provide evidence that restricting screen use in the evening represents a valid and promising approach for improving sleep duration in adolescents, with potential implications for daytime functioning and health.

© Sleep Research Society 2019. Published by Oxford University Press [on behalf of the Sleep Research Society].

Language: en

Keywords

actigraphy; adolescents; behavior; melatonin; pediatrics; public health; screen electronic devices; vigilance