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College students who spend more time on social media tend to sleep worse, and that may have consequences for how they perceive their own health, according to a new 91���� study. 

, found that greater social media use at the start of the school year predicted poorer sleep quality six months later, which in turn predicted worse self-rated health six months after that. According to the researchers, it’s the first study to indicate that poor sleep quality may be a pathway connecting social media use with self-rated health. 

“These findings suggest that students’ social media habits early may have effects beyond the time spent on the phone,” said study lead author and College of Public Health alumna Akosua Mainoo, BS Community Health '20, MPH '22. “Sleep appears to be one way those habits may carry over into how students perceive their health months later.” 

One finding ran counter to the researchers’ expectations: Greater overall social media use was associated with poorer sleep, but nighttime use specifically was not. Researchers noted that previous studies on nighttime social media use and sleep have been mixed, and that the effects may depend on other factors, such as light exposure affecting melatonin levels. 

The research is part of , the university’s landmark cohort study following students across their four undergraduate years. Distinguished University Professor in the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies serves as principal investigator. 

Why it matters 

Young adults spend about five hours a day on social media, and more than 85% of students in the George Mason study used YouTube, Instagram, and Snapchat daily. Although seven to nine hours of sleep is recommended for young adults, previous research has found that one-third of college students get fewer than seven. Over time, not getting enough sleep is linked to health problems, including depression, obesity, heart disease, and diabetes. 

The new study goes a step further in examining how sleep may connect social media use with students’ broader health over time. 

Asked in an interview what students should take from the findings, the researchers pointed to the value of reducing social media use. 

“Social media is a part of everyday life for college students, so the expectation isn’t to eliminate it,” said Mainoo. “But young people can be more intentional about setting time limits and creating phone-free zones.” 

Cheskin said, “Less is more when it comes to social media use by young college students,” and that reducing use can leave more time for “direct interactions with peers and others.” 

More study information 

The researchers analyzed data from 349 first-year students ages 18 to 24 participating in Mason: Health Starts Here, the broader longitudinal study examining predictors of physical and mental health throughout college. Students completed surveys in August 2019, February 2020, and August 2020. 

The researchers noted limitations including self-reported data and participant drop-off over time, and called for more longitudinal research on how social media use may affect sleep and health. 

The research team also included Lilian de Jonge and Fritz Nii Tettey Lokko of the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies; and Jerome L. Short, Eleanor A. Speidel, Jeremy Maciarz, Patricia J. Mejia, and Emmarose Logan Price of the Department of Psychology. 

The study was funded by the George Mason Institute for Biohealth Innovation.  

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