IMPACT OF SMART PHONE USAGE ON SLEEP, MELATONIN AND ITS CORRELATION WITH ANXIETY AND DEPRRESSION IN FIRST YEAR MEDICAL STUDENTS

Abstract

Significant increase in the smart phone use had been associated with various effect on the health. Various theories have proposed for sleep, circadian rhythm disturbances and studies have shown effect on melatonin levels and mental health. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of smart phone on sleep time, sleep duration and serum melatonin levels. To determine academic and non-academic usage and its correlation with academic performance. Effect of smart phone usage on the mental health i.e. anxiety and depression in young adult first year medical students. Sample size was 100 , 3 were absent. A brief questionaries’ was asked to all the study group regarding usage of mobile phone and sleep hours in night. 9 A.M Morning fasting blood samples were taken and serum melatonin was estimated by ELISA kit. Hamilton’s anxiety scale and Hamilton’s depression scale was applied to the study group. Study had shown the smart phone usage was having an impact on sleep. Study have shown late bedtime, long sleep duration in the students with high user group. This may be result of sleep displacement and circadian rhythm disturbances. Low levels of melatonin in high users as compared to low users, which may be due to exposure EMF leading to circadian rhythm disturbance. The academic and the non- academic usage was significantly high in high users, but with no significant difference in the academic performance. High academic usage of smart phone may lead to better academic performance despite of late bedtime. Non-academic usage of smart phone may cause emotional arousal leading to anxiety. Anxiety and depression score was high in high users group, but the difference was not statistically significant. But it is not clearly understood whether the smart usage is responsible for anxiety and depression or anxiety and depression causes high smart phone usage. Smartphones affect the academic lives of the undergraduate medical students. This study can conclude with the fact that using smartphones made an impact on students both positively and negatively. KEYWORDS: - Smart phone, sleep, Melatonin, Anxiety, Depression