Social Media Is Keeping Teens From a Good Night's Sleep

Social media has become a central part of teenagers’ daily lives, but its growing presence has also raised concerns about possible negative effects. Researchers and parents alike worry that constant connectivity, late-night scrolling and the pressures of online interaction may affect young people’s well-being, school performance and overall health.

When the Pew Research Center asked U.S. teens about these possible effects, many said that social media has both upsides and downsides. As our chart shows, some aspects of life are perceived as benefiting from social media. For example, 30 percent of U.S. teens said it helps their friendships, while 19 percent said that social media boosts their confidence, making these two categories the only ones with a net positive effect, i.e. a higher share of positive than negative responses.

In contrast, teens were more likely to report negative effects in areas related to school and daily functioning. Four in ten teens said social media hurts their productivity, compared to just 9 percent who said it helps. Similarly, 22 percent believed their grades suffer because of social media, while only 8 percent said it improves them.

The most pronounced negative effect, however, concerns sleep. Nearly half of the surveyed teens (45 percent) said that social media hurts the amount of sleep they get, while only 4 percent say it helps them get a good night’s sleep. This makes sleep by far the area teens see as most negatively affected, highlighting how late-night social media use may be cutting into the rest young people need.