Use Of Television & Internet Triggers Self-Perception Of Insufficient Sleep

Main Category: Sleep / Sleep Disorders / Insomnia
Also Included In: IT / Internet / E-mail
Article Date: 16 Aug 2007 - 1:00 PST

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A study in Sleep and Biological Rhythms published by Wiley-Blackwell, the scientific, technical, medical and scholarly publishing business of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (NYSE: JWa), (NYSE: JWb), reveals that watching television and using the Internet before sleep causes sleep problems - not only among the younger set, but also among the middle-aged and older media users.

The study found that the disparity of perceived inadequate sleep and actual sleep duration is most significant in heavy users of electronic media - especially those using the Internet.

"Of the 7000 surveyed, 83% of the respondents indicted having sleep problems, while 62% perceived having insufficient sleep. Almost half of the latter group attributed their state of insufficient sleep to media use." says Dr. Nakamori Suganuma, lead author of the paper, "Using electronic media before sleep can curtail sleep time and result in self-perceived insufficient sleep".

"Our results show a considerable variation between the light, medium and heavy media users. Only one-third of the light users perceived having insufficient sleep, compared to almost 40% of medium users and 54% of heavy users", said Dr. Suganuma.

Even though heavy users more often complained of insufficient sleep than light users, and heavy users accessed media three hours longer than light users before sleep; the actual difference in their sleep duration was only less than 0.2 hours, or 12 minutes.

"I suppose media use not only affects sleep duration, but also sleep demand and sleep quality", added Dr. Suganuma.

With such a great number of respondents putting their self-perceived lack of sleep down to their use of the media, researchers have suggested that incidences of television and Internet use must factor in the future non-pharmacological treatment of insomnia.

This paper is published in the July 2007 issue of Sleep and Biological Rhythms (Vol. 5 :(3) 204-214).

About Sleep and Biological Rhythms

Enhancing medicine and medical treatments related to sleep, Sleep and Biological Rhythms provides world-class scientific research into sleep science, sleep disorder medicine and the management of sleep. In this truly interdisciplinary field, the Journal probes the mechanisms of sleep and wakefulness, publishing areas from basic science and all branches of medicine, dentistry, and pharmacology, to psychology, physical science, and engineering, as well as public health, occupational health and other branches of sociology. http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/journal.asp?ref=1446-9235

About Wiley-Blackwell

Wiley-Blackwell was formed in February 2007 as a result of the merger between Blackwell Publishing Ltd. and John Wiley & Sons, Inc.'s Scientific, Technical, and Medical business. Together, the companies have created a global publishing business with deep strength in every major academic and professional field. Wiley-Blackwell publishes approximately 1,250 scholarly peer-reviewed journals and an extensive collection of books with global appeal.

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