Night-time smartphone use, sleep duration, sleep quality, and menstrual disturbances in young adult women: A population-based study with high-resolution tracking data

Abstract

Study objectives To explore the relationship between night-time smartphone use, sleep duration, sleep quality and menstrual disturbances in young adult women. Methods Women aged 18-40 years were included from the SmartSleep Study in which they objectively tracked their smartphone use via the SmartSleep app between self-reported sleep onset and offset times (n=764) and responded to a survey (n=1068), which included background characteristics, sleep duration, sleep quality (Karolinska Sleep Questionnaire) and menstrual characteristics (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics’ definitions). Results The median tracking time was four nights (Interquartile range: 2-8). Higher frequency (P=0.05) and longer duration (P=0.02) of night-time smartphone use were associated with long sleep duration (≥9hours), but not with poor sleep quality or short sleep duration (<7 hours). Short sleep duration was associated with menstrual disturbances (OR=1.84, 95% CI: 1.09-3.04) and irregular menstruation (OR=2.17, 95% CI: 1.08-4.10), and poor sleep quality was associated with menstrual disturbances (OR=1.43, 95% CI: 1.19-1.71), irregular menstruation (OR=1.34, 95% CI: 1.04-1.72), prolonged bleedings (OR=2.50, 95% CI: 1.44-4.43) and short cycle duration (OR=1.40, 95% CI: 1.06-1.84). Neither duration nor frequency of night-time smartphone use were associated with menstrual disturbances. Conclusions Night-time smartphone use was associated with longer sleep duration, but not with menstrual disturbances in adult women. Short sleep duration and sleep quality were associated with menstrual disturbances. Further investigation of the effects of night-time smartphone use on sleep and female reproductive function in large prospective studies is needed.