Relationship of smartphone use at night with sleep quality and psychological well-being among healthy students: A pilot study

Abstract

Objective: To examine the differences between objective and subjective measures of smartphone use at night as predictors of sleep quality and psychological well-being: anxiety, depression, and fear of missing out (FoMO).

Methods: Smartphone use after sleep onset was measured using objective and subjective measures among 40 college students. The morning after the fourth night, they completed online questionnaires: Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-T), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), and FoMO Scale (FoMOs).

Results: Objective measures showed that 40% of the participants actually awoke during the night and checked their smartphone. However, the subjective measures showed that they overestimated this behavior. More frequent nighttime checking of one's smartphone, as recorded by objective measures, was associated with lower sleep quality and psychological well-being.

Conclusions: This study demonstrated differences between objective and subjective measures of smartphone use at night. It also showed that an objective measurement of smartphone use could identify participants at risk for reduced sleep quality and psychological well-being.

Keywords: Fear of Missing Out (FoMO); Sleep quality; Smartphone use; Trait anxiety.