The habit of surfing the phone in bed increases the risk of insomnia by 59%

Many of us have the habit of staring at our phones before bed, whether we know it’s good or bad. But this seemingly harmless habit can seriously affect our physical and mental health. Experts recommend that it’s time to leave your phone out of the bedroom at night.

Using screen devices in the evening not only increases the risk of insomnia, but also significantly shortens the amount of sleep you get each night, according to a new study.

In one of the largest surveys on the topic, the Norwegian Institute of Public Health analyzed data from 45,202 young people aged 18–28.

Results showed that just one hour of screen time in bed can increase the risk of insomnia by up to 59% and reduce sleep time by an average of 24 minutes per night.

Notably, the type of content consumed on screens did not appear to make a significant difference. The study, published in the Swiss journal Frontiers in Psychiatry, found no significant link between social media use and other forms of entertainment on devices.

This contradicts previous hypotheses, which suggested that social media causes stronger insomnia because of emotional stimulation and increased interactivity.

Instead, the researchers concluded that it was screen time, and especially exposure time, that profoundly affected sleep quality.

Shortened sleep duration: A worrying problem

Dr Gunnhild Johnsen Hjetland, lead author of the study, said that the worrying thing is not what you are doing on your phone, but how much time you spend looking at the screen while lying in bed.

“We did not see a significant difference between social media use and other device activities. It was screen time that was the key factor in disrupting sleep, possibly by altering circadian rhythms and sleep timing,” explains Gunnhild Johnsen Hjetland.

Sleep is incredibly important for mental and physical health. However, there is a global trend towards less sleep, and the use of devices before bed is partly to blame.

Researchers point to a variety of ways that devices can interfere with sleep: constant notifications interrupt rest, blue light from screens prolongs alertness, and being glued to our phones makes us go to bed later. All of these contribute to disrupting the body’s natural circadian clock.

Notably, this study not only focused on students but also extended to young adults, adding to growing evidence of the profound impact of device use on sleep.

“Sleep disorders are becoming more common among young people and have a significant impact on mental health, academic performance and overall quality of life,” Hjetland warns.

Screens and sleep: It's not just about social media

In the study, participants were asked to self-report their screen use habits while in bed, including activities such as watching videos, playing games, surfing social media, accessing the internet, listening to music, and reading study materials.

Based on their responses, they were divided into three groups: those who only used social media, those who didn’t use social media at all, and those who engaged in a variety of activities (including social media) before bed. Regardless of which group they were in, the more they used their devices, the worse their sleep quality became.

This is a surprising finding. It suggests that sleep loss isn’t necessarily caused by stimulating content, but by screens replacing precious rest time. In other words, simply looking at a screen for too long, no matter what you’re doing, is enough to impair sleep.

However, the researchers also noted that the results reflect the cultural context in Norway, and more research is needed in other countries and cultures to determine the generalizability of the problem. At the same time, they also emphasized that correlation does not mean causation.

What about the solution? “If you’re having trouble sleeping and suspect your phone is the cause, try cutting back on your device use in bed, ideally stopping completely 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime,” Dr. Hjetland advises.

However, she also admits that "breaking up" with the phone is not easy. "If you must use it, at least turn off notifications to limit interruptions at night," Hjetland suggests.