Adolescents are often criticized for their lack of involvement. Paradoxically, it is too much social involvement that is detrimental to their sleep and, by extension, to their he alth.
He alth problems, cognitive disorders, mood swings, physiological and physical disorders, etc., the harmful effects of sleep deprivation have been empirically demonstrated time and time again.
But what about teenage sleep, in a world more connected than ever?
A study from the Journal of Youth Studies, published last year, reports a worrying trend: one in five teenagers wakes up at night to go online social.
Carried out among 900 students aged between 12 and 15, the study aimed to assess the nighttime habits of young people in order to determine not the quantity, but the quality of their sleep. To the question "How many times per night do you wake up to contact a friend or check your messages via your computer, tablet or phone?" half of the participants answered never, while 21.6% of 12-13 year olds and 22.5% of 14-15 year olds answered that they wake up almostevery nightto goon social media.
Less satisfied with their life
Always according to the Journal of Youth Studies study, it seems that the phenomenon is more frequent in the female population (26.4% of girls versus 16.5% in boys). However, regardless of gender, students who reported usingsocial media at night reported feeling more tired during the day and less satisfied with their life in general.
Of course, many other factors come into play when it comes to assessing the quality of sleep in adolescents. However, it is undeniable that the omnipresence of electronic devices and the fear of missing something (Fear of missing out) exacerbate, until the middle of the night, the social engagement of young people and thus affects their quality of life and he alth.
Some effects of lack of sleep in adolescents:
- Affects memory and interferes with learning
- Increase in mood disorders/depression
- Increase in disorders associated with ADD/HD
- Anxiety
- Diminished or impaired attention
Since the he alth and well-being of adolescents depends in part on the quality of their sleep, they must therefore have restful nights. If your child is unable to resist the call of social media at night, perhaps he should step away from the temptation and banish tablets, computers and smartphones from his bedroom.sleep?
