Original ArticleDecreases in self-reported sleep duration among U.S. adolescents 2009–2015 and association with new media screen time
Section snippets
Research purpose
In the current study, we aimed to examine temporal trends in self-reported short sleep duration (sleeping less than 7 h on most nights) up to 2015 in two large, nationally representative samples of U.S. adolescents conducted since 1991: Monitoring the Future: A Continuing Study of American Youth (MtF) [20], [21] and the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) [22]. Given the size and representative nature of these
Sample
The Monitoring the Future (MtF) survey, funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, collects nationally representative samples of 8th, 10th, and 12th graders (see http://www.monitoringthefuture.org). All procedures of the survey are annually reviewed and approved by the University of Michigan Institutional Review Board. The participation rate of schools is between 66% and 80%, and the student participation rate is between 79% and 83% [24]. About 15,000 students in each grade are sampled
Results
The number of adolescents getting insufficient sleep abruptly increased after 2011–2013. By 2015, more than 40% of adolescents did not get 7 or more hours of sleep on most nights across both datasets (see Fig. 1). Between 2009 and 2015, 16%–17% more adolescents reported insufficient sleep (with increases from 35% to 41% in MtF and from 37% to 43% in YRBSS). This is in addition to the previously reported increase in short sleep duration since 1991, when only 26% of adolescents got insufficient
Discussion
More U.S. adolescents in recent years failed to get 7 or more hours of sleep on most nights, with an abrupt increase in short sleep duration after 2011–2013. By 2015, more than 40% of adolescents reported getting insufficient sleep. Most research suggests that adolescents ages 12 to –17 require an average of 9 h a night of sleep. Thus, more adolescents are sleep deprived.
New media screen time (including reported use of electronic devices, social media, and reading news online) significantly
Conclusion
The last decade witnessed unprecedented shifts in the adoption and use of new electronic media devices, especially among children and adolescents. Scientific evidence on the impact of this technology is only now accumulating, and the findings presented here implicate the use of electronic devices and new media in abrupt and significant decreases in sleep time. Both individuals and institutions should consider ways to mitigate the unwanted effects of electronic devices on sleep and health.
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