Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2015 Jun:21:50-8.
doi: 10.1016/j.smrv.2014.07.007. Epub 2014 Aug 12.

Screen time and sleep among school-aged children and adolescents: a systematic literature review

Affiliations
Review

Screen time and sleep among school-aged children and adolescents: a systematic literature review

Lauren Hale et al. Sleep Med Rev. 2015 Jun.

Abstract

We systematically examined and updated the scientific literature on the association between screen time (e.g., television, computers, video games, and mobile devices) and sleep outcomes among school-aged children and adolescents. We reviewed 67 studies published from 1999 to early 2014. We found that screen time is adversely associated with sleep outcomes (primarily shortened duration and delayed timing) in 90% of studies. Some of the results varied by type of screen exposure, age of participant, gender, and day of the week. While the evidence regarding the association between screen time and sleep is consistent, we discuss limitations of the current studies: 1) causal association not confirmed; 2) measurement error (of both screen time exposure and sleep measures); 3) limited data on simultaneous use of multiple screens, characteristics and content of screens used. Youth should be advised to limit or reduce screen time exposure, especially before or during bedtime hours to minimize any harmful effects of screen time on sleep and well-being. Future research should better account for the methodological limitations of the extant studies, and seek to better understand the magnitude and mechanisms of the association. These steps will help the development and implementation of policies or interventions related to screen time among youth.

Keywords: Children and adolescents; Electronic media; Media; Screen time; Sleep; Sleep duration; Total sleep time; Video games.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flow Diagram.

References

    1. Gradisar M, Gardner G, Dohnt H. Recent worldwide sleep patterns and problems during adolescence: a review and meta-analysis of age, region, and sleep. Sleep Medicine. 2011;12(2):110–8. - PubMed
    1. Foundation NS. Sleep in America Poll. 20112011 [May 18, 2014]; Available from: http://sleepfoundation.org/sites/default/files/sleepinamericapoll/SIAP_2....
    1. Foundation NS. Sleep in America Poll. 20062006 [May 18, 2014]; Available from: http://sleepfoundation.org/sites/default/files/2006_summary_of_findings.pdf.
    1. Crowley SJ, Acebo C, Carskadon MA. Sleep, circadian rhythms, and delayed phase in adolescence. Sleep Med. 2007 Sep;8(6):602–12. - PubMed
    1. Cain N, Gradisar M. Electronic media use and sleep in school-aged children and adolescents: A review. Sleep Med. 2010 Sep;11(8):735–42. - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources