College Students' Insomnia: Loneliness a Bigger Culprit Than Screen Time, Study Finds - Video

Being lonely is a bigger hurdle to a good night's sleep for college students than too much time at a computer or other electronic screen, a new study suggests. Findings of the study, which involved students at Oregon State University and Chaminade University, were published in the Journal of American College Health.

Researchers studied more than 1,000 undergraduate students and found that when an individual's total daily screen time reached the 8- to 10-plus-hour range, there was an increased likelihood of

insomnia.

They also found 35% of the subjects had high levels of loneliness and that lonely students were more likely to have trouble sleeping than less-lonely students irrespective of screen time. That 35% reported clinically significant symptoms of insomnia at almost twice the rate of the other 65%.

Loneliness is a pervasive condition that significantly hinders wellness, the researchers say, causing suffering in a range of forms, including impaired sleep because of its association with greater sensitivity to stress and to rumination over stressful events.

"Insomnia is detrimental to the health of college students," said Dietch, assistant professor of psychological science and a licensed clinical psychologist who is board certified in behavioral sleep medicine. "It has been consistently associated with increased stress, anxiety and mood disturbance, as well as decreased academic performance."

Dietch added that a global review of college students found that 18.5% had insomnia compared to 7.4% of non-students in the same age group. Students involved in intimate relationships -- close friendships as well as romantic partnerships -- are less likely to report being lonely than those who are not, she said.

Reference: https://news.oregonstate.edu/news/college-students%E2%80%99-insomnia-linked-more-strongly-loneliness-screen-time