Tiktok (Shutterstock photo/ DANIEL CONSTANTE)
Children under the age of 12 may lose the equivalent of one night’s sleep each week due to excessive use of social media, new research suggests.
The research indicates that almost 70% of 60 children under the age of 12 surveyed by De Montfort University in Leicester, UK, said they used social networks for four hours a day or more. Two-thirds said they used social media apps in the two hours before bed.
The study also found that 12.5% of children surveyed woke up at night to check their alerts.
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Psychology lecturer John Shaw, who led the study, said children should sleep between nine and 11 hours a night, according to NHS guidelines, but those surveyed reported sleeping an average of 8.7 hours a night.
He said that: “The fear of missing out, fueled by social media, directly affects their sleep. They want to know what their friends are doing, and if you’re not connected when something is happening, it means you’re not taking part in it.
“And it can be a feedback loop. If you’re anxious you’re more likely to be on social media, you’re more anxious as a result. And you look at something, it’s stimulating and sleep-inhibiting.”
TikTok had the most engagement from kids, with 90% of those surveyed saying they used the app. Snapchat was used by 84%, while just over half of those surveyed said they used Instagram.
In California, lawmakers are seeking to reduce some of the negative effects social media can have on young children.
The state recently passed a law aimed at targeting some of the more harmful features used by the apps. It prohibits social media apps from intentionally designing features that are harmful to children’s well-being, according to a fact sheet.
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