Tablets and Mobile Phones Bring 'Insomnia' to Children

Based on a research study, there is strong evidence linking the use of electronic devices (such as iPhones, iPads, laptops, etc.) before bedtime with insomnia, sleep deprivation, and excessive daytime sleepiness in children. According to the Washington Post, a study conducted by the American Academy of Pediatrics on twenty-six thousand children has shown that the portrayal of sleepless American children in movies and series is not far from reality. Researchers state that insomnia among children and teenagers addicted to various forms of social media has become an epidemic in America. This addiction and resulting insomnia lead to a variety of health and medical issues including obesity, depression, anxiety, hyperactivity, increased appetite, rapid mood changes, reduced reaction time, and memory impairment. In this recent study, children and teenagers aged six to nineteen in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia who go to bed with their mobile phones are twice as likely to get less than nine hours of sleep compared to their peers. Those who have phones or other electronic devices in their rooms face fifty percent more sleep deprivation issues and are two hundred percent more likely to feel sleepy during the day. Researchers say that using mobile phones or other electronic devices at bedtime stimulates the social and psychological aspects of the brain when it needs to relax and shut down. However, it is not just the psychological stimulation from these devices that causes insomnia and poor sleep; the blue light emitted from LED screens alters melatonin levels. Melatonin is a hormone that instructs the brain to sleep. In recent years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the U.S. has attempted to warn parents to raise the age for children’s use of electronic devices. According to the doctors at this center, at least eight hours of sleep is essential for children and teenagers.