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CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Sleep Sci 2022; 15(S 02): 318-327
DOI: 10.5935/1984-0063.20200128
ORIGINAL ARTICLE

The impact of bedtime technology use on sleep quality and excessive daytime sleepiness in adults

Saad Mohammed AlShareef
1   Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, Riyadh 13317-4233, Saudi Arabia.
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ABSTRACT

Objectives: There have only been a few studies on electronic device use and sleep in adult populations, so we sought to investigate the impact of bedtime technology use on sleep quality and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) through a population-wide survey of Saudi Arabian adults.

Material and Methods: This cross-sectional survey of 10,106 Saudi Arabian adults gathered data on the number and frequency of electronic device use (smartphones, tablets, computers, televisions, radios, and music players) at bedtime, sleep quality, and EDS as measured by the Epworth sleepiness scale. Associations between electronic device number and frequency of use and sleep-related outcomes were evaluated using binary logistic regression.

Results: Twenty-eight percent and 9.7% of respondents reported “fairly” or “very bad” sleep quality in the preceding month, respectively. 95.1% of respondents had smartphones in their bedrooms, which were used regularly (a few nights a week, every or almost every night) by 80.7% of respondents. The number of devices in the bedroom had little effect on sleep quality parameters and EDS, but regular use of almost all devices was associated with “bad” or “very bad” sleep quality (odds ratios (ORs) 1.32-2.12); smartphone or tablet use was associated with sleep latency >30 minutes (smartphones OR 1.98, 95% CI: 1.51-2.60; p<0.0001; tablets OR 1.44, 95% CI: 1.05-1.99; p<0.05). Electronic device use was associated with a 1.3-1.9-fold risk of moderate to severe EDS.

Discussion: This large study strengthens the limited evidence in adults that electronic device use during bedtime usually reserved for sleep impacts sleep quality. Sleep hygiene advice must be updated to include limiting electronic device use in the bedroom.

Keywords:

Epworth Sleepiness Scale - Electronic Device - Excessive Daytime Sleepiness - Sleep Hygiene - Smartphone

ETHICAL APPROVAL

This project was reviewed by the internal review board (IRB) of Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU).


Sources of funding

None.


Supplementary Information



Publication History

Received: 27 November 2020

Accepted: 19 March 2021

Article published online:
01 December 2023

© 2023. Brazilian Sleep Association. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)

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