Effects of playing a computer game using a bright display on presleep physiological variables, sleep latency, slow wave sleep and REM sleep

Abstract

SUMMAR Y Epidemiological studies have shown that playing a computer game at night delays bedtime and shortens sleeping hours, but the effects on sleep architecture and quality have remained unclear. In the present study, the effects of playing a computer game and using a bright display on nocturnal sleep were examined in a laboratory. Seven male adults (24.7 ± 5.6 years old) played exciting computer games with a bright display (game-BD) and a dark display (game-DD) and performed simple tasks with low mental load as a control condition in front of a BD (control-BD) and DD (control-DD) between 23:00 and 1:45 hours in randomized order and then went to bed at 2:00 hours and slept until 8:00 hours. Rectal temperature, electroencephalogram (EEG), heart rate and subjective sleepiness were recorded before sleep and a polysomnogram was recorded during sleep. Heart rate was significantly higher after playing games than after the control conditions, and it was also significantly higher after using the BD than after using the DD. Subjective sleepiness and relative theta power of EEG were significantly lower after playing games than after the control conditions. Sleep latency was significantly longer after playing games than after the control conditions. REM sleep was significantly shorter after the playing games than after the control conditions. No significant effects of either computer games or BD were found on slow-wave sleep. These results suggest that playing an exciting computer game affects sleep latency and REM sleep but that a bright display does not affect sleep variables.k e y w o r d s circadian rhythm, electroencephalogram, heart rate, mental task, rectal temperature, video display terminal

Insufficient Sleep in Adolescents and Young Adults: An Update on Causes and Consequences

“…The use of computers before bedtime has also been shown to have the same effect, and this finding has been demonstrated in a wide range of countries and cultures. 45,46,[48][49][50][51] Engaging in a greater number and range of sleep-interfering activities before going to bed has also been associated with less nocturnal sleep and more daytime sleepiness in adolescents. 45 Several mechanisms have been postulated about how media disrupts sleep.…”

Technology Use and Sleep Quality in Preadolescence and Adolescence

“…5,6,[11][12][13] The mechanisms by which the use of electronic devices at bedtime may impair sleep are related to cognitive, emotional, or physiological arousal, 5,14 while the displacement of sleep onset might be connected to exposure to bright light, especially with short wavelengths emitted by electronic devices, that can cause phase delays, typically postponing sleep onset. 15 When studying sleep behavior of preadolescents and adolescents, circadian preferences or electronic device use should always be taken into account because they play an important role in affecting quality of sleep. 16 The morningness-eveningness (ME) preference explains the variation in the rhythmic expression of biological and behavioral patterns as a continuum between evening chronotypes (E-types) and morning chronotypes (M-types).…”

“…5,8 On the other hand, media devices may act as a direct displacement of sleep, and may also replace activities that promote good sleep, increasing cognitive, emotional or physiological arousal, which may, in turn, impair sleep. 5,15,47 Finally, the exposure to the bright light emitted by many electronic devices, can cause phase delays, typically postponing sleep onset.…”

Impact of total sleep duration on blood pressure in preschool children

“…However, whether such an association is applicable to children remains unclear. Especially, little evidence has been established concerning the effect of sleep duration on cardiovascular disease (CVD) in children, though various factors disturbing children's nocturnal sleep-video game-playing and television-viewing habits and parental employment-exist in developed countries, and sleep habits are associated with motor handicap or mental impairment (1,6,16,17,19,20). The onset of some adult diseases such as hypertension and CVD has been reported to be linked with lifestyles in childhood (11,13).…”