Can Posting on Social Media at Night Hamper Your Sleep?

Researchers tracked social media use and delayed sleeping patterns for 44,000 Reddit users.

Prior research has shown that exposure to

, such as that emitted from phones and tablet computers, can lead to sleep problems because it interferes with the production of melatonin (

The study discovered that posting to a social media site before their typical bedtime may cause people to sleep later.

The researchers wondered if people’s regular sleep habits were being disrupted by social media posting, particularly in the late hours.

They performed a thorough examination of data from Reddit, a social media platform, to find out. Users of Reddit can submit comments, links to information, and comments on other people’s posts, just like on other social media platforms.

Over the course of 15 years, the research team examined 120 million posts posted by 44,000 users. They were able to gauge the effects of social media posting before a typical night since they were able to determine what regular site users referred to as normal bedtimes.

Dopamine: The Culprit Behind Why you Can’t Sleep

The study discovered that if a user posted to the site around an hour before their usual bedtime, they were more likely to stay up past their normal bedtime. After posting, people typically remained awake for one to three hours before going to bed.

They stayed up even later if they posted many times before their usual bedtime.

The researchers believe that a surge in dopamine levels caused by the anticipation of a response from other users on the site may make it difficult for posters to relax and sleep.

Previous research has shown that an increase in dopamine levels promotes mental activity and attentiveness, neither of which is favorable for sleeping.

References :

The association between evening social media use and delayed sleep may be causal: Suggestive evidence from 120 million Reddit timestamps – (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37235891/)