#sleepyteens
Smartphone use has invaded many aspects in our society and one major impact has been upon teens and their sleep. Knowledge is power, and knowing the impact that devices are having on our kids means we can make a plan of action, so what does the research tell us? Back in 1991, 71% of teens slept more than 7 hours a night but with the introduction of smartphones that has dropped to 22%, so 88% of adolescents are sleeping less than 7 hour night (Twenge, Krizan & Hisler, 2017). For teens, a lack of sleep means an increase in symptoms of depression and anxiety which can result in poor academic performance. But for any student, using their phones late into the night disrupts their circadian cycles, this means the light from the phone acts as a stimulant, keeping them awake longer and delaying any feeling of tiredness (Lemola et al., 2015). Of the teens who use social media late at night while in bed, 25% reported finding it challenging to go back to sleep after responding to lat