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Decreases in sleep duration among U.S. adolescents 2009-2015 & association with new media screen time Twenge JM, Krizan Z, Hisler G

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Authors not listed · 2017

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Teen sleep deprivation increased 16-17% from 2009-2015, directly correlating with electronic device screen time in dose-dependent fashion.

Plain English Summary

Summary written for general audiences

Researchers analyzed sleep data from nearly 370,000 U.S. adolescents between 2009 and 2015, finding teens became 16-17% more likely to sleep less than 7 hours per night. The study linked this decline directly to increased screen time from electronic devices, social media, and online activities, while other potential causes like homework or TV watching remained stable.

Why This Matters

This large-scale study provides compelling evidence that our digital devices are systematically robbing teenagers of essential sleep. What makes this research particularly significant is its timing and scale - tracking nearly 370,000 teens during the smartphone revolution from 2009 to 2015. The researchers found a clear dose-response relationship: more screen time meant worse sleep, with effects becoming pronounced after 2 hours of daily electronic device use.

The implications extend far beyond sleep quality. We know that EMF exposure from wireless devices can disrupt circadian rhythms and melatonin production, the very biological processes that regulate healthy sleep. When you combine the documented effects of blue light on sleep hormones with the radiofrequency radiation these devices emit, you're looking at a perfect storm for sleep disruption. The fact that short sleep duration jumped from 35-37% to 41-43% of teens in just six years should alarm every parent and policymaker.

Exposure Information

Specific exposure levels were not quantified in this study.

Cite This Study
Unknown (2017). Decreases in sleep duration among U.S. adolescents 2009-2015 & association with new media screen time Twenge JM, Krizan Z, Hisler G.
Show BibTeX
@article{decreases_in_sleep_duration_among_us_adolescents_2009_2015_association_with_new_media_screen_time_twenge_jm_krizan_z_hisler_g_ce4764,
  author = {Unknown},
  title = {Decreases in sleep duration among U.S. adolescents 2009-2015 & association with new media screen time Twenge JM, Krizan Z, Hisler G},
  year = {2017},
  doi = {10.1016/j.sleep.2017.08.013},
  url = {https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29157587#},
}
DOI: 10.1016/j.sleep.2017.08.013PubMed: 29157587

Quick Questions About This Study

Adolescents became 16-17% more likely to sleep less than 7 hours per night. Short sleep duration increased from 35-37% of teens to 41-43% during this six-year period, representing millions more sleep-deprived teenagers.
The study found a clear exposure-response relationship for electronic devices after 2 or more hours of daily use. This means sleep problems became significantly more likely once teens exceeded 2 hours of daily screen time.
No, other sleep-disrupting activities like homework time, working for pay, and TV watching remained stable or decreased during 2009-2015. Only new media screen time increased, making it the likely culprit for worsening sleep.
The study analyzed data from 369,595 U.S. adolescents using two nationally representative surveys: Monitoring the Future (conducted since 1991) and the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System from the CDC (since 2007).
The most significant increase in short sleep duration occurred after 2011-2013, coinciding with the rapid adoption of smartphones and social media platforms among teenagers during this critical period of the digital revolution.