Abstract
Objective
The aim of the study was to examine subjective sleep quality in a population of healthy
volunteers and its association with evening and night light exposure to screens of
media devices.
Methods
A total of 693 participants (mean age 31.2±11.4 years, 159 men, and 538 women) completed
an online questionnaire battery consisting of several sleep-related questionnaires:
PSQI, FSS, MCTQ, MEQ, and added questions assessing the timing and character the evening
and night exposure to electronical devices (TV, PC, tablets, and phones), and the
use of various filters blocking short-wavelength light.
Results
Statistical analyses show that longer cumulative exposure to screen light in the evening
was associated with greater sleep inertia in the morning (P = .019, η2=0.141) and longer sleep latency on workdays P = .038, η2=0.135). Furthermore, exposure to screen light 1.5 h before sleep or during night
awakenings was also associated with a decreased chance to wake up before alarm clock
(P = .003, d=0.30), larger social jet lag (P < .001, d=0.15), more daytime dysfunction (P < .001, d=0.40), decreased subjective sleep quality (P = .024, d=0.16), and more fatigue (P < .001, d=0.52). A statistical trend for an increase in duration of sleep on weekdays (P = .058, d=0.23) was also found in participants using blue-light filters in the evening hours.
Discussion
Our results are in line with other studies that converge to show the negative association
of evening and night exposure to short-wavelength light on subjective and objective
sleep parameters. Results suggest that light hygiene in general population should
be given more attention not only in the context of clinical sleep medicine but also
in the realm of public health.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: March 18, 2020
Accepted:
November 22,
2019
Received in revised form:
November 18,
2019
Received:
August 13,
2019
Identification
Copyright
© 2019 National Sleep Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
