How Does Social Media Affect The Quality Of Sleep In Teenagers


As per the recent study, it has been found that social media is playing a big role in deteriorating the quality of sleep in people. Teenagers are the ones who are mostly affected by its harmful effects. This is due to their increased addiction towards social networking websites.

The constant urge to check emails, update status, and comment on profiles keeps them alert and awake throughout the night. This leads to poor sleep, anxiety, and sleep disorders too.

How social media disturbs sleep?

World Wide Web is flooded with a large number of social media websites. Some of the most popular are Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr, Snapchat, etc. Teenagers feel a constant pressure to be available on these networking websites 24/7 and immediately respond to the exchange of posts and messages with everyone.

It has been found that teens who engage in any kind of activity with social media at the night time suffer from inferior sleep quality and heightened risk of developing depression and anxiety. Being so much emotionally invested in these social media websites, they are not even aware of how much harm they are doing to their body.

An average teenager requires around 9.5 hours of uninterrupted sleep daily, but due to social media influence, many of them only make up to 7.5 hours. Also, research says that there is a close link between the extent of usage of social networking and overall well-being of a person especially adolescents.

Sleep deficiency is making them tired, confused, irritable, indecisive, depressed, lethargic, lower self-esteem, weak immune system, insomnia, schizophrenia, etc. Poor performance in academics is again a very serious side effect that can damage their professional life to a significant extent.

Tips to reduce the negative impact of social media on teenagers

As we have seen how much harm does social media has on the mental health of a person. We need to figure out some methods that could save a teen from destroying its health due to their over engagement in it.

Implementing the below mentioned tips would help a lot in keeping the physical and mental faculties of the child in the best state.

• Minimize the use of social media an hour before sleep time. Stop checking posts, emails and other form of verbal or non-verbal communication at the night time.

• Turn off all the electronic devices such as television etc. The blue light that emits from it keeps one alert and awake. It is harmful to your sleep and should be get rid of as quickly as possible.

• Put on a meditative music to relax your body.

• Sleep on a right mattress.

Role of mattress in improving sleep

A right mattress gives proper alignment and relaxation to each and every area of the body. Memory foam mattress is one of the most recommended mattresses for kids. There are several different variations of memory foam mattress available on the market. Learning about your preferences and needs will help you buy the right one.

memory foam for kids on www.amerisleep.com provides an extensive range of mattresses with different features such as 100% waterproof, made using luxurious brushed cotton, breathable, durable, noiseless, and practical.  You will find an anti-allergy barrier in it that safeguards your child’s respiratory system from a variety of disease causing dust mites.

Social media is harming the physical and mental health of teens in the world. Self-control, determination and implementing ways that prevent one from interacting with social media at night, would greatly help in improving the quality of your sleep to a large extent.