Technology and Caffeine in Teens: How the 24/7 Lifestyle Adds Up to Subtract Sleep

Teens need more sleep than adults – optimally at least 9 hours a night. Yet adolescents have to contend with early school start times, homework, and social activities. New research shows computers, televisions, cellular telephones, portable music devices and other electronic devices now also compete for the waking hours of teens. The resulting sleep deficits may put this caffeinated, highly-connected generation at greater risk for physical and mental health problems, impaired academic performance, and automobile accidents.

What was the study?

The research, “Adolescents living the 24/7 lifestyle: Effects of caffeine and technology on sleep duration and daytime functioning,” was funded by the NHLBI and published in Pediatrics, the official journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Participants were 100 junior high and high school adolescents, ages 12 to 18 years. They were recruited from a large pediatric primary care office in a Philadelphia suburb during well-child visits.
The teens were 58% female; and were 62% white and 27% African-American. Household incomes ranged from to with a median income of.
Adolescents were asked to complete a questionnaire, designed by the researchers, to measure the adolescents’ intake of caffeinated drinks, use of nighttime media-related technology, and sleep behaviors.
In order to capture the time spent using media after 9:00 p.m., investigators calculated a multi-tasking index, which was the total number of hours an adolescent spent engaged in all technology activities divided by 9 (the number of hours between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m.). The average index was 0.59, which corresponds to a teen doing 1 activity for 5.3 hours, or 4 activities for 80 minutes each.

What did the study find?

The vast majority of adolescents used some form of device in their bedrooms: 30% computers, 66% a television, 79% a MP3 digital audio player, and 90% a cellular telephone.
On average, adolescents engaged in 4 different technology activities after 9 p.m. Thirty-four percent reported text messaging, 42% reported listening to an MP3 player, 44% reported talking on the telephone, 55% reported being online, and 82% reported watching television.
Adolescents had limited access to caffeinated foods and beverages during the day because their school districts removed these items from cafeterias and vending machines. However, 85% of the adolescents reported drinking caffeine, including coffee, tea, soft drinks, and energy drinks. Teens who multitasked the most consumed the most caffeine; there was a 37% increase in caffeine intake for each 0.5 increase in the media use index.
Only 21% of adolescents reported getting the recommended 8 to 10 hours of sleep per night on school nights and these students were 1.5 to 2 times more likely to have lower media use index. In other words, increased or optimal sleep was associated with decreased media usage.
One third of the teens reported falling asleep at least twice during the school day and caffeine consumption was 76% higher in this group.
Of the 14 teenagers who had a driver’s license, 50% had driven while sleepy and 1 teenager reported having fallen asleep while driving. Sleepiness related driving impairment was associated with both increased caffeine use and increased media usage.

What are the take-home messages?

Teens typically need at least 9 hours of sleep a night, but in reality sleep for less than 7 hours a night. To compensate for sleep deficits, teens may sleep in class, nap after school and on weekends, oversleep on weekends and use caffeinated beverages to counteract fatigue and remain awake longer. Sleep deficits are associated with a number of health consequences including mood disorders, substance abuse, asthma exacerbations, and obesity. In addition, teens are at increased risk of automobile accidents; and sleep deprivation may significantly increase this risk.
Many factors are known to contribute to a lack of sleep in teens. This new research shows that teens engage in extensive use of multiple media and communication technologies after 9 p.m., and this usage may be associated with decreased sleep duration, increased caffeine use, and daytime sleepiness in the classroom and while driving. Media use not only appears to intrude upon sleep time, but exposure to bright light from electronic displays, such as those on computers, may delay melatonin release and affect the sleep-wake cycle.
In summary, sleep deficits are a health concern among adolescents. Extensive use of electronic devices at night, combined with caffeine consumption, can adversely affect a teen’s ability to stay alert during the day because of reduced sleep duration and quality at night. Health care providers and parents can:

Help teens understand that sleep is as important as eating and breathing; that a lack of sleep can lead to poor performance at home, at school, and on the athletic field; and that a lack of sleep can result in a higher likelihood of car crashes, which may be fatal.
Limit access to electronic media in bedrooms after normal bedtime.
Limit access to caffeinated beverages 5 or more hours before bedtime.
Encourage and support teens in learning how to manage their busy lives, including regular bedtimes and adequate sleep duration.

Where can I learn more?

Adolescents living the 24/7 lifestyle: Effects of caffeine and technology on sleep duration and daytime functioning,” Pediatrics, 123:e1005-e1010, June 6, 2009, doi:10.1542/peds.2008-3641.
Wean the Screen. Resources from We Can!™
Educating Youth about Sleep and Drowsy Driving: Strategy Development Workshop Report. (1998)

Additional information on the study:

Income levels were not related to the possession of any technology except for televisions; adolescents with televisions in their bedrooms tended to be from homes with 43 percent lower median incomes ( vs.).
Use of caffeine and technology was self-reported by the teens. The researchers warn that these parameters may have been under-reported.

™ We Can! is a trademark of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

January 2010

Archived page, reproduced from a 2011 copy. It is reference material, not current guidance.