One in five Brits blames their smartphone for a bad night’s sleep because social media ‘makes it harder to switch off’
- More than half UK adults struggle with sleep – averaging only six hours a night
- Among these, 18 per cent blame smartphone by bedside for keeping them awake
- Experts warn that less than eight hours a night raises cancer and depression risk
Sending a bedtime text or email to a loved one might be thoughtful, but it could well be costing the sender – and recipient – valuable sleep.
More than half of UK adults say they struggle to get enough shut-eye, achieving an average of only six hours a night.
Among these, 18 per cent blame the smartphone by the bedside for keeping them awake.
More than half of adults in the United Kingdom say they struggle to get enough sleep, getting an average of six hours a night (stock image)
As much as 18 per cent blame the smartphone by the bedside for keeping them awake, which emits blue light and is known to disrupt sleep (stock image)
Blue light from electronic devices is known to disrupt sleep, while scrolling through social media and work emails can also cause stress making it harder to switch off.
Experts warn those who get less than the recommended eight hours of sleep a night raise their risk of cancer, diabetes and depression.
Simon Archer, professor of molecular biology of sleep at the University of Surrey, said: ‘The blue light suppresses the sleep hormone melatonin which may leave people struggling to fall asleep.’
The survey of 2,000 – by insurance firm Aviva – also found women are more likely than men to keep a smartphone by the bed, with 22 per cent admitting to doing so compared to 13 per cent of men.
