The research team said that watching videos or playing games on a smartphone before going to bed can cause depression, anxiety, and insomnia. (image: Korea Bizwire)
SEOUL, Nov. 13 (Korea Bizwire) — A recent study has revealed that regularly staying up at night and playing with a smartphone can lead to insomnia, depression, and anxiety disorder.
Researchers from Sungshin Women’s University conducted a study on 106 adults in their 20s and 30s and observed their sleep and activity patterns for 24 hours.
The study revealed that staying up at night using a smartphone can negatively affect mental health.
Among the study participants, those making a habit of staying up at night played with their smartphone 4.5 times longer than those who did not, using their smartphone on average an hour more each day than others.
People staying up at night were 25 percent more exposed to the risk of depression as well as 14 percent more to the risk of anxiety disorder than those who went to bed earlier.
At 81.5 percent, the vast majority of study subjects using smartphones at night were highly exposed to the risk of insomnia, while the risk was only 48.1 percent for those who did not stay up.
The research team said that watching videos or playing games on a smartphone before going to bed can cause depression, anxiety, and insomnia.
“Going to sleep later at night can cause insomnia and other psychological problems that end up degrading your overall quality of life,” said Prof. Suh Soo-yeon, who headed the research team.
“It is important both for children and adults to go to sleep at a reasonable time.”
H. M. Kang (hmkang@koreabizwire.com)
