Regulating Electronic Media for a good night Sleep among adolescents

Background: Excessive electronic media use at night is a risk factor for adolescents sleep disturbance. Sleep deprivation among adolescents is a major public health issue. To better understand the interplay between electronic media use and sleep the voices of adolescents needs to be heard.
Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate adolescents’ experiences regarding what they perceived as facilitators and barriers for a good night’s sleep.
Methods: A qualitative focus group study with Swedish adolescents (n = 45) aged 16–18 years was performed with seven focus groups and analyzed using qualitative content analysis.
Results: The adolescents expressed that it is important to be inaccessible during the night as interruptions can prevent a good sleep. They also point out to switch off the sound on their smartphones or leave the smartphone outside the bedroom and instead engage in activities such as reading books could give a sense of relief. Some of the adolescents mentioned that they wished that their parents had more rules about electronic media use, because then it would be easier to put the smartphone away. However, the adolescents mentioned that it was difficult to find a balance between being uninterrupted and yet be available for their friends and family at night. The adolescents described a feeling of losing control as a feeling of responsibility to be available for friends and family. The electronic media use during night stated the adolescents influence their mental health and sleep. For example, a female in the study said: “If someone writes mmm. in a message, then I can stay awake for several hours at night and think about it. Is the person angry, annoyed or what does mmm. mean”?. Another female said: “The experience of having trouble sleeping can vary, but I find it difficult to fall asleep if I use social media before bedtime.”
Conclusion: One barrier to a good night’s sleep was electronic media use. Some became anxious about missing out if they were not connected all the time. An understanding of the dilemma of finding a balance between electronic media and sleep, aid future sleep-promoting interventions for adolescents, incorporating the impact from social factors on the adolescents’ sleep.