Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
Sleep. 2021 Sep 13;44(9). doi: 10.1093/sleep/zsab080.
During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) lockdown, there was a worldwide increase in electronic devices' daily usage. Prolonged exposure to backlit screens before sleep influences the circadian system leading to negative consequences on sleep health. We investigated the relationship between changes in evening screen exposure and the time course of sleep disturbances during the home confinement period due to COVID-19.
2,123 Italians (mean age ± standard deviation, 33.1 ± 11.6) were tested longitudinally during the third and the seventh week of lockdown. The web-based survey evaluated sleep quality and insomnia symptoms through the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the Insomnia Severity Index. The second assessment survey inquired about intervening changes in backlit screen exposure in the two hours before falling asleep.
Participants who increased electronic device usage showed decreased sleep quality, exacerbated insomnia symptoms, reduced sleep duration, prolonged sleep onset latency, and delayed bedtime and rising time. In this subgroup, the prevalence of poor sleepers and individuals reporting moderate/severe insomnia symptoms increased. Conversely, respondents reporting decreased screen exposure exhibited improved sleep quality and insomnia symptoms. In this subgroup, the prevalence of poor sleepers and moderate/severe insomniacs decreased. Respondents preserving screen time habits did not show variations of the sleep parameters.
Our investigation demonstrated a strong relationship between modifications of evening electronic device usage and time course of sleep disturbances during the lockdown period. Monitoring the potential impact of excessive evening exposure to backlit screens on sleep health is recommendable during the current period of restraining measures due to COVID-19.
在 2019 年冠状病毒病（COVID-19）封锁期间，全球范围内电子设备的日常使用量有所增加。睡前长时间暴露在背光屏幕下会影响生物钟系统，对睡眠健康产生负面影响。我们调查了 COVID-19 在家隔离期间，晚上屏幕暴露的变化与睡眠障碍时间进程之间的关系。
2123 名意大利人（平均年龄±标准差，33.1±11.6）在封锁的第三周和第七周进行了纵向测试。在线调查通过匹兹堡睡眠质量指数和失眠严重程度指数评估睡眠质量和失眠症状。第二项评估调查询问了睡前两小时内背光屏幕暴露的干预变化。
增加电子设备使用的参与者睡眠质量下降，失眠症状加重，睡眠时间减少，入睡潜伏期延长，就寝时间和起床时间延迟。在这个亚组中，睡眠质量差和报告中度/重度失眠症状的个体的比例增加。相反，报告屏幕暴露减少的受访者睡眠质量和失眠症状得到改善。在这个亚组中，睡眠质量差和中度/重度失眠患者的比例下降。保持屏幕时间习惯的受访者睡眠参数没有变化。
我们的调查表明，晚上电子设备使用习惯的改变与封锁期间睡眠障碍的时间进程之间存在很强的关系。在 COVID-19 期间限制措施期间，监测晚上过度暴露于背光屏幕对睡眠健康的潜在影响是值得推荐的。
