TikTok is a double-edged sword, offering both entertainment and harm. While the platform has gained notoriety for promoting dangerous challenges that can jeopardize user health, TikTok can also disrupt sleep cycles by frequent use during nighttime hours.
Recent research by Sleep Junkie, a website specialising in sleep and mattress studies, reveals that TikTok is the social network that most significantly impacts sleep quality. These findings corroborate previous research highlighting the app’s negative influence on sleep.
Therefore, excessive use of TikTok, particularly at night, can adversely affect sleep patterns.
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TikTok affects sleep quality more than Instagram and Facebook
It’s widely recognized that using mobile phones at night can lead to insomnia. However, the question now is which of the numerous apps available on Android and iOS is the most detrimental to sleep.
According to recent research, TikTok seems to be the worst offender. Watching TikTok before going to bed can result in a sleepless night lasting 67 minutes, surpassing the impact of other apps such as Instagram (58 minutes), Snapchat (56 minutes), Twitter (50 minutes), and Facebook (45 minutes).
Furthermore, the study also indicates that TikTok significantly reduces the amount of REM sleep, which is the deepest and most restorative sleep phase. Typically, this phase accounts for 20% to 25% of total rest for individuals who do not use electronic devices while sleeping. However, when using TikTok, the REM phase drops to 14%, a more significant reduction than Instagram (15.5%) and Facebook (19.5%).
How does watching TikTok before bed affect sleep?
You may be wondering how TikTok can have such a negative impact on sleep. While there are several theories, none have been proven. The most prominent ones are:
- Cognitive Activation: Mobile screens emit blue light that alters the circadian rhythm, causing the body to believe it’s daytime, leading to alertness and wakefulness.
- Addiction and FOMO: Like any substance or product that generates a reward stimulus, TikTok can be addictive. Additionally, fear of missing out (FOMO) syndrome can cause psychological distress and insomnia.
- Hormonal Imbalance: TikTok content can trigger the release of dopamine and oxytocin, which are hormones associated with happiness. These hormones can replace melatonin, the hormone associated with sleep that should predominate at night.
Have you noticed a decline in your sleep quality due to using TikTok at night?
