Summary During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown, there was a global increase in the daily use of electronic devices. Prolonged exposure to backlit screens before bed influences the circadian system and has negative consequences on sleep health. We investigated the relationship between changes in nighttime screen exposure and the time course of sleep disturbances during the stay-at-home period due to COVID-19. Methods 2,123 Italians (mean age ± standard deviation, 33.1 ± 11.6) were evaluated longitudinally during the third and seventh week of confinement. The web-based survey assessed sleep quality and insomnia symptoms via the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the Insomnia Severity Index. The second assessment survey asked about intervening changes in backlit screen exposure in the two hours before falling asleep. Results Participants who increased electronic device use showed decreased sleep quality, worsened insomnia symptoms, reduced sleep duration, prolonged sleep onset latency, and delayed bedtime and wake-up time. In this subgroup, the prevalence of poor sleepers and people reporting moderate/severe insomnia symptoms increased. In contrast, respondents who reported decreased screen exposure showed better sleep quality and insomnia symptoms. In this subgroup, the prevalence of poor sleepers and moderate/severe insomniacs decreased. Respondents who maintained screen time habits did not show changes in sleep parameters. Conclusions Our research demonstrated a strong relationship between changes in nocturnal electronic device use and the time course of sleep disturbances during the lockdown period. It is advisable to monitor the potential impact of excessive nighttime exposure to backlit screens on sleep health during the current period of restriction measures due to COVID-19. |
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During the lockdown period in Italy, the volume of daily Internet traffic almost doubled compared to the same period last year. Researchers here conducted a web-based survey of 2,123 Italian residents during the third and seventh weeks of Italy’s first national lockdown.
The survey was conducted in the third week of lockdown (March 25-28, 2020) and assessed sleep quality and insomnia symptoms, using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the Insomnia Severity Index as a means. measurement. The second evaluation survey, in the seventh week of confinement (April 21 to 27, 2020), asked about the use of electronic devices in the two hours before falling asleep, in addition to repeating the sleep questionnaires.
Of the participants surveyed, 92.9% reported an increase in the use of their electronic devices between the first and second survey.
These participants showed decreased sleep quality, increased insomnia symptoms, shorter total sleep time, and later bedtime and wake-up times.
The researchers found a higher prevalence of poor sleepers and respondents with moderate to severe insomnia symptoms only within this group of respondents.
About 7.1% of participants reported a decrease in screen time at night between the first and second survey and, conversely, reported better sleep quality and fewer insomnia symptoms. This subgroup also demonstrated a decrease in the prevalence of poor sleepers and moderate/severe insomnia symptoms. These respondents consistently went to bed earlier after four weeks of home confinement.
Respondents who reported no change in their screen time also showed no change in their sleep habits. Notably, this group of responders had the best sleep quality and the fewest insomnia symptoms in the early survey results, suggesting that the lockdown exacerbated negative sleep conditions for people already suffering from poor sleep quality. of sleep.
Dr. Federico Salfi, PhD student and first author of the article, says: "The excessive use of electronic devices in the hours before going to sleep was a deeply rooted habit in our society even before the pandemic emergency, particularly among young people. "Opinion, the current period of social distancing added fuel to the fire."
Teacher. Michele Ferrara, director of the Laboratory of Sleep Psychophysiology and Cognitive Neuroscience at the University of L’Aquila, says: "The evidence of a strong relationship between screen habits and the time course of sleep disturbances during the lockdown period suggests That now, more than ever, raising public awareness about the risks of nighttime exposure to electronic devices could be crucial to preserving overall sleep health. This applies to both the ongoing pandemic and the future, as electronic technologies will find more and more space in our daily routine.
Importance The present research is the first to provide information on the relationship between changes in nighttime electronic device use and the time course of sleep disturbances during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown. We demonstrate a strong association between screen time modifications in the hours before falling asleep, the development and exacerbation of sleep disorders, and changes in sleep/wake patterns during home confinement due to the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19. To date, hundreds of millions of people are subject to restrictive measures around the world. Our findings may have large-scale implications, considering the inevitable increase in digital device use during the current period of limited physical social interactions. Avoiding nighttime overexposure to electronic screens can help preserve sleep health during the pandemic emergency. |
