Browsing by Subject "univaiheet"

Objectives: Delayed circadian rhythm and other sleep difficulties, common in adolescence, are related to wellbeing in various ways. The delay of sleep can be attributed, among other factors, to the nighttime use of electronic media, such as tablets and smartphones. However, there have been various contradictory findings about the effect of electronic media on sleep quality. Previous studies’ sample sizes have been small and the majority consisted of males. Therefore, this study examines the effect of electronic media on sleep architecture in adolescence with a larger sample size and includes both males and females. It was hypothesized that the use of electronic media will be related to the decrease of either REM- or slow-wave sleep. The differences between sexes and different types of electronic media were also investigated. It was hypothesized that the effect will vary based on the type of media. Methods: 166 adolescents took part in this study (age 16–17, 97 females). Their sleep was monitored with an all-night polysomnography. The duration of the use of electronic media on the same day was used in order to predict the sleep stages by regression analysis. Multivariate covariance analysis was used to compare the effects of different types of electronic media. Results and conclusions: The use of electronic media was not associated with the decrease of neither REM- nor slow-wave sleep. Secondly, the groups characterized by different uses of electronic media did not differ significantly with regards to proportions of sleep stages. This study, therefore, does not provide support for the previous findings implicating adverse effects of electronic media on the quality of sleep.