Copyright © CC-BY-NC 2019, CRIBFB | AIJMSR American International Journal of Multidisciplinary Scientific Research; Vol. 5, No. 4; 2019 ISSN 2638-1249 E-ISSN 2638-1273 Published by Centre for Research on Islamic Banking & Finance and Business, USA 10 Association between Excessive Use of Mobile Phone and Insomnia among Pakistani Teenagers Cross Sectional Study Lubna Farooq MPhil, Assistant Professor Baqai Medical University, Karachi, Pakistan Email: jlubna85@gmail.com Akhtar Ali MPhil, Lecturer Ziauudin Medical University, Karachi, Pakistan Email: drakhtarali45@gmail.com Sehrish Mahmood MBBS, Lecturer Baqai Medical University, Karachi, Pakistan Email: dr.sehrishmahmood88@gmail.com Mahnoor Farzand BDS, Lecturer Baqai Medical University, Karachi, Pakistan Email: mahnoorfarzand01@gmail.com Hina Masood MBBS, Lecturer Baqai Medical University, Karachi, Pakistan Sumreen Mujahid MPhil, Lecturer Baqai Medical University, Karachi, Pakistan Email: drsumreenfawaz@gmail.com Abstract Introduction: In the era of modern technology mobile phones have becoming popular, especially in teenagers. Besides of its uses there are various undesirable psychological and physical impact on heath. Aims and objectives: The purpose of this study was to access the link among Excessive Use of Smart Phone and there sleep pattern among Pakistani Adolescents. Materials and Methods: A detailed cross sectional study was performed on a total of 500 medical graduates range between 18 and 24 years who were using mobile phone atleast a year. Self-designed Questionnaire is given to them having details of their frequency and pattern of using smart phone. Sleep quality was analyzed by using Pittsburg Sleep Quality index .Chi square test was also perform to check the link between frequency of mobile phone and quality of sleep.P value < 0.005 were considered as significant. Result: Out of 500 participants, the frequency of mobile phone usage was more in males 70% as compare to females30%. Their age varied from 21to 24 with mean age of 20 ± 1.9 years. Most of students use mobile phone in night 188 (38%)and 202 (40%) participants using mobile phone unlimited. 366 (73%) students mentioned that they start using mobile phone at intermediate level and claimed that no surveillance of the mobile phone being done by the parents . Students who were using unlimited mobile phone reported that they take more than 1 hour to sleep that showed a significant (p-value <0.001) correlation between more mobile phone use and time taken to sleep. Conclusion: The results of our study conclude that excessive mobile phone usage leads to sleep disturbances and poor quality of sleep. That may implement negative effects on student’s mental and physical health along with this it can also affect the students’ educational performance and daily life activities. Keywords: Mobile Phone; Psychological Health; Sleep Quality, Nomophobia, Blue Light mailto:drakhtarali45@gmail.com mailto:dr.sehrishmahmood88@gmail.com mailto:mahnoorfarzand01@gmail.com mailto:drsumreenfawaz@gmail.com Copyright © CC-BY-NC 2019, CRIBFB | AIJMSR www.cribfb.com/journal/index.php/aijmsr American International Journal of Multidisciplinary Scientific Research Vol. 5, No. 4; 2019 11 1. Introduction Sleep is altered state of consciousness that constitutes almost one-third of the hours in a human’s lifetime. During sleep, connection between brain and body practically motor activities are suspended. Sleep is a keystone of adolescent normal development and growth therefore it is thought that ideally students should aim for at least nine hours of sleep in night in order to perform actively, both physically and mentally. Sleep deficiency may lead to various psychological and physical disorders such as deprive energy, mood swings, inability to concentrate and learn. It has been also associated with increase in obesity (Gupta et al.,2016) (Munezawa, T et al.,2011) (Varshney, A. M. et al.,2017) (Van den Bulck, J.2007) In this Era of advanced technologies mobile phones are became an essential tool for human beings especially in younger population. Previously these were used only for communication but now advancement in technology has lead mobile phones to be used as mini computers. People generally young population feels that life without cellphone is incomplete, dull and drab. Although significance and benefits of mobile phone cannot be dined but at the same time, their excessive use may implement undesirable effects on health and education. According to a survey, the frequency of mobile phone users has increased from 12.4 million to 7 billion from year 1990 to 2014 globally (Saeb, S. et al.,2015) (Asselbergs, J. et al.,2016) From year 2000 – 2015 frequency of internet usage is also increased globally 7-fold from 6.5% to 43 % (Parasuraman, S. et al., 2017). According to GLOBAL MOBILE MARKET data, Mobile phone subscribers has been increased to 3 million in 2018. India is ranked on second number after US for the usuage of mobile phone (. Majumder, S.et al.,2019) .In today’s life that is surrounded by modern technologies, anxiety and stress are has affliction with daily activities. “After constant mobile phone use the fear, anxiety and nervousness of mobile loss or getting mobile less is termed as nomophobia,” Number of studies conducted in parts of the world have reported that teenagers are concerned with the idea of losing their mobile phones (Ali, S. et al.,2014) (Prasad, M. et al.,2017) (Dongre, A. S. et al.,2017).Continuous usuage of mobile phone affects people life both physically and mentally. Excessive use of mobile phones is associated with impaired concentration, headache, dizziness, fatigue, dry eyes, computer vision syndrome, stress, sleep disturbances, weakness of thumb and wrist, neck pain and rigidity, increased frequency of tactile hallucinations and nomophobia etc (González-Cabrera, J. et al.,2017).Using the social media can change the sleep duration. The aim of this study is to evaluate the pattern of mobile phone usage among students of a medical university of Pakistan and to assess effects of mobile phones use on their psychological health in the form of sleep quality. 2. Material and methods A cross sectional study conducted in Baqai Medical University from April 2019 to September 2019. Total 500 students from all classes (i.e. 1st to final year) were recruited for the study. Both male and female students having age between 17 to 24 years were given equal opportunity for participation. Participants who are using mobile phone for more than 2 years were included for the study. Students with the history of sleep disorders, metabolic disorders and drug and alcoholic use were excluded from the study. A self-administrated questionnaire form was designed according to literature survey. Students were informed about the objectives of the study. Verbal and written informed consent was taken from each participant. The questionnaire was having two parts the first part was consisted on the questions regarding demographic data including age, gender, BMI score, academic year, frequency of mobile phone use, at which age they started using mobile phone and at which time they are using more mobile phone, second part assessed the sleep quality with help of Pittsburg sleep quality index. In the 2nd part of questionnaire questions were asked regarding the sleep quality and it was calculated by using Pittsburg Sleep Quality index (Buysse et., al 1989). The study was approved by Institutional Ethical Committee of Baqai University. 3. Results Out of 500 participants, the frequency of mobile phone usage was more in males 350 (70%) when compare to females 150 (30%). Their age varied from 21to 24 with mean age of 20 ± 1.9 years. The students reported that most of the time they use mobile phone in night 188 (38%). According to 202 (40%) participants the total hours of mobile phone usage (hours /day) were unlimited. 366 (73%) students mentioned that they start using mobile phone at intermediate level and claimed that no surveillance of the parents being done as shown in table 2. Students stated multiple reasons for use of mobile phone, the highlighted one was surfing social media. The reasons for using mobile phone by the participants in the study group are given in the Table-3. Table 1. Demographic details of the study applicants Gender N (%) 500 Male 350 (70%) Female 150 (30%) Age Copyright © CC-BY-NC 2019, CRIBFB | AIJMSR www.cribfb.com/journal/index.php/aijmsr American International Journal of Multidisciplinary Scientific Research Vol. 5, No. 4; 2019 12 18-20yrs 127 (25.4%) 21-24yrs 373 (75%) Table 2.Analysis of mobile phone usage Time of mobile phone use Morning Afternoon Evening Night 144 (29%) 33 (6.6%) 135 (27%) 188 (38%) Total hours mobile phone use (hrs/day) >1-2 hrs >3-4 hrs 5-10 hrs 40-60 mins Unlimited 54 (2.8%) 65 (13%) 122 (24.4%) 57 (11.4%) 202 (40%) At which class they start using mobile at matric level at intermediate level at university level before matric 58 (11.6%) 203 (40.6%) 195 (39%) 4 (0.8%) Surveillance of mobile phone by parents yes no 134 (26.8%) 366 (73.2%) Who bears the expenditure of mobile phone parents siblings themself others 284 (56.8%) 125 (25%) 87 (17.4%) 4 (0.8%) Purpose of use of mobile study social media 133 (26.6%) 367 (37.4%) Places where mobile phone mostly use Home Public places Class Eating Driving 206 (41.2%) 45 (9%) 178 (35%) 33 (6.6%) 71 (14.2%) Insomnia yes no 376 (75.2%) 124 (24.8%) Table 3. Sleep routine of participants Time to go bed 10am-12am 12am-3am 3am-5am 12 (2.4%) 256 (51.2%) 127 (25.5%) Time taken to fall a sleep 30mins >1hr >2hrs 98 (19.6%) 47 (9.4%) 355 (71%) Copyright © CC-BY-NC 2019, CRIBFB | AIJMSR www.cribfb.com/journal/index.php/aijmsr American International Journal of Multidisciplinary Scientific Research Vol. 5, No. 4; 2019 13 Time to get up in the morning 5am -7am 7am-9am 9am-11am 159 (31) 202 (40) 139 (28) Wake at middle of night yes not 356 (71.2) 244 (49 ) Sleep quality very good fairly good very bad 165 (33%) 289 (57) 56 (11.2%) episodes of disorientation/confusion yes no 345 (69) 155 (31) Bad dreaming Yes No 377 (75) 123 (25) Cough/ snore loudly Yes No 155 (31) 345 (69) Restlessness during sleep Yes No 405 (81) 95 (19) Students who were using unlimited mobile phone reported that they take more than 1 hour to sleep that showed a significant (p- value <0.001) correlation between more mobile phone use and time taken to sleep. The sleep quality in these participants who were using unlimited mobile was not good (p <0.001) and they fell restless during the sleep and episodes of disorientation were more in these participants as shown in table 2. Table 4 .Association among mobile phone users and effect on sleep quality Frequency of mobile phone use Unlimited use Half an hour More than 1 hour` Sleepless whole night p value time take to sleep 98 (19.6%) 355 (71%) 47 (9.4%) 0.001 Time taking to go to bed 10am-12am 12 (2.4%) 12am-3am 256 (51.2%) 3am-5am 127 (25.5%) 0.001 Sleep quality very good 165 (33%) fairly good 289 (57) very bad 56 (11.2%) 0.001 4. Discussions Mobile phone is undeniable in present time, majority of mobile phone users particularly in Asia are Youngers and teenagers (Chen, W. et al.,2005). In our study the frequency of mobile phone use was more in males as compare to females. According to Measuring the Information Society Report the fraction of male mobile users are greater than the women in most countries including Pakistan (Hilbert, M.2011). The night time was highlighted by our students for use of mobile phone that was parallel to the findings of Van den Bulck J. who reported that almost more than half of young population check their mobile phones after they have gone to bed(Van den Bulck, J. 2003) (Eggermont, S. et al., 2006) In our study most of the students were taking more than 2 hours to fall sleep. Use of mobile phones particularly in night have serious effect on eye sight it is documented that it can damage the central vision, blue light emitted from mobile can disturbed the production of melatonin hormone which regulate the sleep cycle not only this but mobile phone use also lead to a variety of Copyright © CC-BY-NC 2019, CRIBFB | AIJMSR www.cribfb.com/journal/index.php/aijmsr American International Journal of Multidisciplinary Scientific Research Vol. 5, No. 4; 2019 14 health problems including heart disease, cancers, weight gain, depression and anxiety (Repacholi, M. H. 2001) (Irmak, M. K. et al.,2002) (Gamble, A. L. et al.,2014). In our study majority of the students used their cell phones and social media for sharing of thoughts with their friends and families. It was reported in a study that medical students use social media accounts (facebook, whatsapp, and twitter) to overcome the stress produced by pressure of studies and exams (Ali, A. & Shaheen, S. et al.,2019). Besides its use as contacting device, mobile phones now are featured with documents, alarm, calendars, stop-watch, etc. These multifunction features of mobile phones cause an increase in mobile phone value, leading the users to perceive it as a must-have gadget (Khan, A. S. N. 2009) (Yang, J. 2013). In our study, 41.2% of students mentioned that they use mobile phones at home which may be due to constant communication with friends. Mobile phones are thought to be a worrying part in educational institutes, and 35% of students in this study declared that they use mobile phones in class rooms where they exchange text messages with friends rather than concentrating on lecture. The present study showed that excessively long hours of mobile phone use was associated with insomnia, particularly in students using mobile phones for more than 10 hours per day compared with those using mobile phones for less than 1 h per day. 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