Effect of restricting bedtime mobile phone use on sleep, arousal, mood, and working memory: A randomized pilot trial

• Published in: PloS one Vol. 15; no. 2; p. e0228756
• Main Authors: He, Jing-Wen, Tu, Zhi-Hao, Xiao, Lei, Su, Tong, Tang, Yun-Xiang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Public Library of Science 10.02.2020; Public Library of Science (PLoS)
• Subjects: Affect; Arousal; Biology and Life Sciences; Cell Phone Use - adverse effects; Cell phones; Cellular telephones; Cognition; Diaries; Emotions; Engineering and Technology; Female; Habits; Humans; Latency; Male; Medical research; Medicine and Health Sciences; Memory; Memory, Short-Term; Mood; Pilot Projects; Quality; Questionnaires; Randomization; Schedules; Screen time; Short term memory; Sleep; Sleep deprivation; Sleep disorders; Social Sciences; Sociodemographics; Studies; Young Adult; China
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0228756

This study aimed to assess the effects of restricting mobile phone use before bedtime on sleep, pre-sleep arousal, mood, and working memory. Thirty-eight participants were randomized to either an intervention group (n = 19), where members were instructed to avoid using their mobile phone 30 minutes before bedtime, or a control group (n = 19), where the participants were given no such instructions. Sleep habit, sleep quality, pre-sleep arousal and mood were measured using the sleep diary, the Pittsburgh sleep quality index, the Pre-sleep Arousal Scale and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule respectively. Working memory was tested by using the 0-,1-,2-back task (n-back task). Restricting mobile phone use before bedtime for four weeks was effective in reducing sleep latency, increasing sleep duration, improving sleep quality, reducing pre-sleep arousal, and improving positive affect and working memory. Restricting mobile phone use close to bedtime reduced sleep latency and pre-sleep arousal and increased sleep duration and working memory. This simple change to moderate usage was recommended to individuals with sleep disturbances.