Bedtime Screen Use Tied to 59% Higher Insomnia Risk, Study Reveals

New research highlights that total screen time, not activity type, is the key driver of sleep disruptions in young adults.

A large-scale study of over 45,000 Norwegian university students found that one hour of screen use in bed increases insomnia risk by 59% and reduces sleep duration by 24 minutes.
The findings indicate that the type of screen activity, such as social media or gaming, does not significantly impact sleep quality; total screen time is the primary factor.
Researchers attribute the sleep disruptions to 'time displacement,' where screen use delays bedtime and reduces rest time.
The study emphasizes reducing screen use in bed, ideally stopping 30–60 minutes before sleep, and disabling notifications to improve sleep hygiene.
While the study establishes a strong link between screen use and sleep problems, it acknowledges limitations in proving causality and calls for further research into underlying mechanisms.