A new study published in PLOS Global Public Health reveals that excessive screen time among adolescents disrupts sleep patterns, increasing the risk of depressive symptoms—particularly among girls. The research, conducted by Sebastian Hökby of Karolinska Institutet in Sweden and colleagues, highlights the significant impact of screen usage on teenage mental health.
The findings align with recent recommendations from the Swedish Public Health Agency, which advises adolescents to limit leisure screen time to two to three hours per day to promote healthier sleep. While previous studies have linked screen exposure to sleep disturbances and depression, the causal direction of these associations remained unclear.
To address this, researchers tracked 4,810 Swedish students aged 12 to 16 over a one-year period, collecting data on their screen usage, sleep quality, and depressive symptoms at three intervals. The study found that increased screen time led to worsened sleep within three months, affecting both duration and quality. Additionally, screen exposure delayed bedtime, further disrupting the natural sleep-wake cycle.
The effects varied between genders. In boys, prolonged screen time had a direct adverse impact on depression after a year. Among girls, however, sleep disturbances played a mediating role, accounting for 38% to 57% of the link between screen time and depression. While boys also experienced sleep disruptions, these were not strongly associated with later depressive symptoms.
Summarizing the findings, the authors stated, “Adolescents who reported longer screen times developed poorer sleep habits over time, leading to increased depression levels, especially among girls.”
The study suggests that reducing screen exposure could improve mental health outcomes in teenagers. “Our results imply that if screen time were reduced—potentially through public health policies—the high burden of depressive states among young Swedish women, and possibly young men, could decrease,” the researchers concluded.
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