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Bedtime Autonomy and Cellphone Use Influence Sleep Duration in Adolescents
Sarah M Tashjian1, Jordan L Mullins1, Adriana Galván2
1Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California.
Summary
Adolescents get less sleep as they age, influenced by bedtime autonomy and increased nighttime cellphone use. These factors highlight environmental contributors to shortened sleep duration in teens.
Area of Science:
- Sleep science
- Adolescent health
- Environmental psychology
Background:
- Adolescence is a critical period marked by significant biological and environmental shifts.
- Insufficient sleep is a prevalent issue among adolescents, impacting overall health and well-being.
- Understanding modifiable environmental factors is key to addressing adolescent sleep deficits.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate environmental factors contributing to reduced sleep duration in adolescents.
- To explore the roles of bedtime autonomy and cellphone usage in adolescent sleep patterns.
Main Methods:
- Actigraphy was used to measure sleep duration over two weeks in 98 adolescents (ages 14-18).
- Bedtime autonomy was assessed through self-report and parental monitoring, reduced via principal components analysis.
- Nighttime cellphone use and disruption were combined into a composite score for a subsample (n=63).
Main Results:
- Shorter total sleep duration was associated with increasing age (r = -.28, p = .006).
- Bedtime autonomy mediated the age-related decline in sleep duration (abcs = -.11).
- The negative impact of bedtime autonomy on sleep was amplified by higher nighttime cellphone use.
Conclusions:
- Age-related sleep reduction in adolescents may be linked to psychosocial changes rather than age itself.
- Bedtime autonomy and frequent cellphone use are significant environmental contributors to insufficient adolescent sleep.
- Findings offer insights for parents and adolescents to implement strategies for improving sleep duration.
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