Sleep and Screen Time: A Mental Health Dilemma

IN TODAY’S digital world, smartphones have become an integral part of our daily life. Whether for business, leisure, or socializing, phones provide unparalleled convenience and connectedness. 

Statista predicts that the Philippines will continue to see a growth in phone users. It is anticipated that by 2029, there would be 82.33 million Filipino phone users, a 5.6-million increase.

However, because these devices are so widely available, a significant proportion of people use them incorrectly. People develop a habit of finding it difficult to put down their phones, even for a short period of time. 

This addiction to smartphones has resulted in a phenomenon known as “nomophobia,” or the dread of being without one’s phone or mobile phone services in general, even for a short period of time. 

With our increased reliance on mobile devices, there is a rising concern about the detrimental impacts of excessive phone use, particularly on our sleep habits and mental health.

The Irony of Getting Sleepy

First and foremost, let us face the elephant in the room: we all had a sleepless night due to our phones. No matter how hard we try to close our eyes and push our bodies to shut down, we always end ourselves looking blankly at the ceiling. 

We persuade ourselves that we will instead browse or surf the internet, particularly on our favorite social media accounts, to gradually go asleep. However, it always ends up the opposite way: we have a harder time sleeping. 

As strange as it appears, the practice of using phones late at night sometimes results in erratic sleep habits. People may stay up later than they intended by scrolling through their phones and lose track of time.

Inconsistent sleep patterns, such as going to bed at various times each night, can disrupt the body’s internal clock, or circadian rhythm. This interruption can cause difficulty on both falling asleep and waking up. 

When it comes to how gadgets or electronics, particularly phones, affect our bodies, there is still a lot to unpack. From the reasons we can’t put it down to the consequences of heavy phone use itself.

How It All Starts

Given the impacts of excessive phone use on our bodies, such as eye strains, neck pain, and a lack of sleep, we can clearly see how it relates to prolonged blue light exposure. 

In an interview with republicasia, Gerard Valmadrid, a registered psychometrician with a BS in Psychology and an MA in Clinical Psychology, described some of the ways our bodies are affected.

“Sa panahon ng advancement ng technology ngayon meron itong maaring positibong epekto sa isang tao,” said the 27-year-old Gen Z BS in Psychology lecturer at Far Eastern University.

“Pero madami ring research na nagbabanggit na isa sa pwedeng masira ay ang kanilang pagtulog. May research tayong nagsasabi na isa sa pwedeng maapektuhan ay ‘yung pag-release ng melatonin.”

“Ang melatonin ay isang kasangkapan upang magkaroon ng maayos na sleep-wake cycle ang isang tao,” he went on to explain how the actual effects start inside our bodies.

However, when discussing the subject, we often miss the more detrimental aspect: the affects it has on our mental health, particularly when we use it for longer than the recommended amount of time on a daily basis.

Lack of Sleep Affecting Our Mental Health?

Indeed, you read that correctly; the loss of sleep induced by excessive phone use may have a variety of effects on our mental health, given the necessity of getting a full night’s sleep.

“Sakaling ang isang tao ay kulang sa tulog maaaring ma-damage ang kanyang hippocampus. Itong parte ng utak ang responsible sa pagkakaroon ng memorya at pagkatuto,” said Valmadrid.

“Kung kulang sa tulog at ma-damage ito, maaring magkaroon ng short-term memory deficits, reduced focus, slower processing speed at impaired judgement,” he went on to explain.

Furthermore, Valmadrid noted that mood swings can be an evidence of how a lack of sleep impacts our minds, an experience he refers to as emotional dysregulation.

“Emotional dysregulation, o pagkakaroon ng mood swings, ito ay isa sa mga pwedeng mangyari sa isang tao na labis ang pagka-kulang sa tulog,” said the Gen Z lecturer.

“Dahil dito, maaaring hindi sya makihalubilo sa kanyang katrabaho, kung working na, at maaaring hindi rin maka-focus sa eskwelahan dahil sa kawalan ng social interactions,” he went on to explain.

The Cycle

The link between excessive phone use, inadequate sleep, and mental health is not one-sided. Instead, it creates a feedback loop. People who do not get enough sleep are more likely to experience stress and anxiety. 

This may lead individuals to seek comfort or distraction on their phones. Engaging with phones, particularly on social media, may provide a momentary respite from negative emotions, strengthening the addiction loop. 

This phone addiction, in turn, impairs sleep, prolonging the vicious cycle of poor mental health and declining sleep quality, while proving that the effects of heavy phone use go far beyond fatigue.

“May mga research tayong nagsasabi na pwede itong maging source ng mas mataas na stress at anxiety,” said Valmadrid, who is also a certified mental health first aider.

“Lalo na kung babad sa social media, pwedeng magkaroon ng pagkukumpara ng sarili sa nakikita sa social media at magdulot ng labis na kalungkutan o labis na pagaalala sa hinaharap.”

“Maari ding makaapekto ito sa paglala ng mga symptoms ng PTSD, o Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, lalo na’t kung ang nakikita sa cellphone ay ‘yung trauma mismo ng tao,” he added.

How to Break the Cycle?

Now that we understand how serious this cycle affects our mental health in a simple yet devastating way, numerous measures can be used to address the link between excessive phone use, poor sleep, and mental health.

“Magkaroon ng tinatawag na digital curfew, o oras sa sarili na hindi na gagamit ng cellphone isang oras bago matulog. Imbes na mag doom scroll, maari itong palitan ng mas maayos na coping mechanism,” said Valmadrid

“Katulad ng journal writing, o pagbabasa ng libro ng naaayon sa kagustuhan ng isang tao. Makakatulong din ang paglilinis ng kwarto upang mas magkaroon ng malinis at maayos na lugar ng pahingahan.”

“Ang pag kontrol sa kape at pag inom ng tubig ay maaari ring makatulong. At isa pa, based sa mga research, ang pagkakaroon ng oras kahit kalahating oras para sa ehersisyo ay maaring maging tulong para magkaroon ng maayos na mental health,” he added.

The link between excessive phone use, poor sleep habits, and mental health is a major issue in today’s environment. While cellphones have many advantages, their overuse nonetheless has a significant impact on us. 

If we are unaware of the impact of our actions, we may be unable to end the cycle consciously. We must remember that self-control will not only protect our health today, but will also keep us safe from possible adverse effects.