{"id":14484,"date":"2025-04-15T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-15T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dailybase.com\/en\/?p=14484"},"modified":"2025-04-14T23:49:07","modified_gmt":"2025-04-14T23:49:07","slug":"screen-time-cuts-teen-melatonin-by-up-to-38-percent-and-disrupts-sleep","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dailybase.com\/en\/screen-time-cuts-teen-melatonin-by-up-to-38-percent-and-disrupts-sleep\/","title":{"rendered":"Screen Time Cuts Teen Melatonin by Up to 38 Percent and Disrupts Sleep"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Teens are sleeping less than ever, and the culprit is often glowing right in their hands. With smartphones, tablets, and laptops now a regular part of evening routines, researchers are sounding the alarm on how screen time directly affects teenage sleep. It’s not just about staying up late scrolling\u2014it\u2019s about real biological changes in the body\u2019s sleep chemistry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Melatonin Suppression and Delayed Sleep Onset<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A study in Lighting Research & Technology<\/em> found that even one hour<\/strong> of evening screen exposure reduces melatonin production in teens by 23%<\/strong>. After two hours<\/strong>, suppression rises to 38%<\/strong>. Melatonin is the hormone responsible for signaling the brain when it\u2019s time to sleep, and when its production is delayed, so is the natural urge to wind down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This effect is particularly strong in teens, who already have a delayed circadian rhythm due to puberty. Add artificial light exposure on top of that, and the results can be long stretches of wakefulness, late bedtimes, and chronic sleep deficits. These aren\u2019t just occasional late nights\u2014many teens are routinely getting far less sleep than they need.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Teen<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

How Screen Time Impacts Daily Functioning<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to Pew Research Center, 95% of U.S. teens own a smartphone<\/strong>, and a large percentage report using their devices for more than five hours a day. A sizable chunk of that use continues into the night, long after homework is finished. That much exposure to screens doesn\u2019t just delay sleep\u2014it cuts into the total amount of rest they get, especially on school nights.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a randomized controlled trial published in\u00a0Sleep<\/em>, teens who limited screen use after 9 PM fell asleep earlier, slept longer, and showed\u00a0improved attention during the day<\/strong>. The findings highlight that the issue isn\u2019t just behavioral\u2014it\u2019s physiological. Reducing screen time before bed doesn\u2019t just shift habits<\/a>;<\/strong> it improves how the brain functions during waking hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When thinking about adolescent health, the impact of\u00a0screen time<\/strong>\u00a0on sleep deserves more serious attention. Not because of fear or tech shaming, but because the science is increasingly clear: screens are shaping when and how teens sleep\u2014and not for the better<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Credit <\/h4>\n\n\n\n