Social media use tied to worse sleep and health perceptions in college students

A George Mason University study found that heavier social media use among first-year students was linked to poorer sleep six months later and worse self-rated health after another six months. The findings suggest sleep may be one pathway connecting social media habits to how college students perceive their health.

Why it matters: - College students spend about five hours a day on social media, and sleep loss is already common in this age group. - The George Mason findings add to evidence that social media habits may affect health beyond screen time alone. - Poor sleep in young adults is linked over time to depression, obesity, heart disease and diabetes. - The study suggests sleep may help explain how social media use can shape students’ broader view of their own health.

What happened: - George Mason University researchers found that greater social media use at the start of the school year predicted poorer sleep quality six months later. - Worse sleep quality then predicted worse self-rated health six months after that. - The study appeared in Public Health Reports. - The work is part of Mason: Health Starts Here, a longitudinal study tracking students through all four undergraduate years. - Lawrence Cheskin, a distinguished professor in the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies, is the principal investigator.

The details: - The study analyzed survey data from 349 first-year students ages 18 to 24. - Students completed surveys in August 2019, February 2020 and August 2020. - More than 85% of the students used YouTube, Instagram and Snapchat daily. - Researchers said the study is the first to indicate that poor sleep quality may be a pathway linking social media use with self-rated health. - Greater overall social media use was associated with poorer sleep. - Nighttime social media use specifically was not associated with poorer sleep. - Researchers said earlier studies on nighttime social media use and sleep have been mixed. - The team noted possible mechanisms such as light exposure affecting melatonin levels. - Study limitations included self-reported data and participant drop-off over time. - The research was funded by the George Mason Institute for Biohealth Innovation. - The research team also included Lilian de Jonge and Fritz Nii Tettey Lokko from the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies, plus Jerome L. Short, Eleanor A. Speidel, Jeremy Maciarz, Patricia J. Mejia and Emmarose Logan Price from the Department of Psychology.

Between the lines: - The result that nighttime use was not linked to worse sleep cuts against a common assumption that late scrolling is always the main problem. - The finding points to overall social media intensity, not just when students use their phones, as a possible factor in sleep disruption. - Lead author Akosua Mainoo said students may be able to help by setting time limits and creating phone-free zones. - Cheskin said less social media use may leave more time for direct interaction with peers and others.

What's next: - The researchers called for more longitudinal research on how social media use may affect sleep and health over time. - Mason: Health Starts Here will continue following students across their undergraduate years, which could help clarify how habits evolve and affect health perceptions. - Students are unlikely to eliminate social media, but the findings suggest reducing use may be a practical place to start.

The bottom line: - More social media use among college students is linked to poorer sleep, and that may help explain why heavier users later rate their health more poorly.