Who doesn't love a good scroll on TikTok, the gram and the like for hot tips on cleaning hacks, DIY projects and perhaps the odd makeup tutorial or two? It's a healthy bit of research in our eyes but we're also starting to realize that there's a time and a place to do it...
Because we're all guilty of scrolling for a little too long, and often it's when we're sat in bed supposedly trying to wind down. Then some eight or less hours later we wake up feeling groggy and unrested, what are the odds huh?
The stats
A recent study delved into the ways the top social media platforms are impacting our sleep, and it might come as no surprise that TikTok scored pretty highly when it came to keeping us up at night. Oops.
The app, used by a billion people each month, is a go-to for all kinds of wonderful inspo in the interiors world but as we all know, you can start a casual scroll and before you know it, it's 2 am...
Revenge sleep procrastination
According to the data by Sleep Junkie, scrolling instead of letting yourself chill without screens and doze off a little more naturally can impact how much restorative REM sleep we get. It's been dubbed as 'revenge sleep procrastination,' which basically means sacrificing sleep for scrolling.
The sleep experts surveyed 2,012 Americans and over three quarters (78%) said they use their phones up until they go to sleep. And yes, TikTok-induced insomnia is a thing.
Compared to users of Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, and Instagram, TikTok lovers who took part in the study got the least REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. They also spent the longest, on average, trying to get to sleep (one restless hour, seven minutes).
Here's how the different platforms impacted REM sleep, bearing in mind we'd ideally spend between 20% and 25% of our sleep cycle in REM:
- TikTok: 14% of sleep cycle spent in REM
- Instagram: 15.5% of sleep cycle spent in REM
- Snapchat: 16% of sleep cycle spent in REM
- Twitter: 18% of sleep cycle spent in REM
- Facebook: 19.5% of sleep cycle spent in REM
How to still scroll and sleep
We're all guilty of scrolling on our phones when we know we should be sleeping. A symptom of our busy lives or a bad work/life balance, time spent absorbing stimulating blue light and dopamine hits could be what's making you feel sluggish.
The great news is, you don't have to stop scrolling altogether, be that on Real Homes TikTok, Instagram or Facebook. Sticking to a chilled-out bedtime routine, limiting caffeine, and investing in the best mattress are some of the many things you can do to get more shut-eye. So still scroll for all your kitchen cleaning hacks but we'd recommend doing it earlier on in the day and trying to switch off from apps in general a couple of hours before bed.
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