Use of Mobile Phones Before Sleep, Sleep Deprivation, and Cognitive, Physical, and Academic Impacts in Brazilian Adolescents: Cross-Sectional Analytical Study with 564 Participants
1
Department of Public Health, Universidad de Ciencias Empresariales y Sociales (UCES), Buenos Aires, Argentina
Popul. Med. 2026;8(Supplement Supplement 1):A2628
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Intensive mobile device use before sleep is an emerging health risk for adolescents, interfering with sleep duration and quality. Sleep deprivation and fragmentation are linked to cognitive impairments, poorer academic performance, and musculoskeletal and orofacial issues, including headache, bruxism, and facial pain. This study investigated associations between nighttime mobile phone use, sleep characteristics, and health and school performance.
METHODS:
Observational, cross-sectional, descriptive-analytical study with 564 Brazilian adolescents aged 12–17. Data were collected in late 2025 using a structured self-report questionnaire covering pre-sleep mobile phone use, sleep duration and quality, physical symptoms (headache, joint and facial muscle pain), bruxism signs, daytime sleepiness, cognitive difficulties, and self-perceived school performance. Associations were analyzed with chi-square tests at 5% significance.
RESULTS:
281 identified as male, 281 as female (2 as agender). Replacing sleep with phone use was associated with higher headache frequency (p=0.016). Perceiving that the phone hinders falling asleep was associated with feeling tired upon waking (p<0.001). Shorter weekday sleep was linked to daytime sleepiness, evidenced by sleeping in class (p=0.002), and difficulty retaining information (p=0.038). Poor sleep quality correlated with higher headache and facial/joint pain (p<0.001). Increased perceived phone use was associated with self-reported worsening of school performance due to sleep deprivation (p=0.006) and memory difficulties (p=0.002). Significant associations were observed between pre-sleep phone use, sleep disruption, and cognitive, physical, and academic outcomes.
CONCLUSIONS:
Pre-sleep mobile phone use is associated with poorer sleep quality and shorter duration, affecting physical health, cognition, and academic performance. Sleep deprivation and fragmentation appear central in linking nighttime device use to headache, orofacial pain, daytime sleepiness, memory difficulties, and academic impairment. Findings highlight the need for public health strategies promoting sleep hygiene and responsible technology use among adolescents, with positive effects on overall health and school performance.
Intensive mobile device use before sleep is an emerging health risk for adolescents, interfering with sleep duration and quality. Sleep deprivation and fragmentation are linked to cognitive impairments, poorer academic performance, and musculoskeletal and orofacial issues, including headache, bruxism, and facial pain. This study investigated associations between nighttime mobile phone use, sleep characteristics, and health and school performance.
METHODS:
Observational, cross-sectional, descriptive-analytical study with 564 Brazilian adolescents aged 12–17. Data were collected in late 2025 using a structured self-report questionnaire covering pre-sleep mobile phone use, sleep duration and quality, physical symptoms (headache, joint and facial muscle pain), bruxism signs, daytime sleepiness, cognitive difficulties, and self-perceived school performance. Associations were analyzed with chi-square tests at 5% significance.
RESULTS:
281 identified as male, 281 as female (2 as agender). Replacing sleep with phone use was associated with higher headache frequency (p=0.016). Perceiving that the phone hinders falling asleep was associated with feeling tired upon waking (p<0.001). Shorter weekday sleep was linked to daytime sleepiness, evidenced by sleeping in class (p=0.002), and difficulty retaining information (p=0.038). Poor sleep quality correlated with higher headache and facial/joint pain (p<0.001). Increased perceived phone use was associated with self-reported worsening of school performance due to sleep deprivation (p=0.006) and memory difficulties (p=0.002). Significant associations were observed between pre-sleep phone use, sleep disruption, and cognitive, physical, and academic outcomes.
CONCLUSIONS:
Pre-sleep mobile phone use is associated with poorer sleep quality and shorter duration, affecting physical health, cognition, and academic performance. Sleep deprivation and fragmentation appear central in linking nighttime device use to headache, orofacial pain, daytime sleepiness, memory difficulties, and academic impairment. Findings highlight the need for public health strategies promoting sleep hygiene and responsible technology use among adolescents, with positive effects on overall health and school performance.
| eISSN: | 2654-1459 |
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