This study investigated associations between the use of electronic media and sleep in children and young adolescents, with a specific focus on the moderation of associations by sex and age.
Between 2021 and 2022, 453 10- to 14-year-old children participating in the LIFE Child cohort study (Germany) reported on their use of electronic media (daily screen time, use at bedtime, device ownership) and on their sleep difficulties (Sleep Self Report). Associations between media use and sleep as well as interactions with age and sex were assessed using linear regression analyses.
The analyses revealed significant associations between the use of media at bedtime and bedtime problems (in girls only), sleep behavior problems (in girls only), and daytime sleepiness (in girls and boys). Daily screen time, in contrast, was associated with none of the sleep difficulties. The number of media devices owned by the child was only associated with bedtime problems in girls, and this association lost statistical significance once media use at bedtime was included as further predictor.
The findings underline the potentially sleep-disturbing role of electronic media at bedtime. Furthermore, they suggest that this effect is more pronounced in girls than in boys.