Sleeping with the frenemy: How restricting ‘bedroom use’ of smartphones impacts happiness and wellbeing

Abstract

Smartphone technology has dramatically changed the way people interact with the physical and online world. Research shows both positive and negative impacts of smartphone and social platform use. Positive outcomes relate to social capital and engagement, while negative impacts result from compulsive usage, negative comparisons and the stress of being ‘always on’. Little evidence is available regarding wellbeing impacts of smartphone use at particular times of day. This study measures the impact of overnight smartphone use on wellbeing. Experimental group participants abstained from smartphone use in the bedroom for one week. The Subjective Happiness Scale, Quality of Life Scale, Smartphone Addiction Scale and Intensity & Time Affect Survey were issued at the beginning and end of the week. Paired sample T-Tests compared pre and post intervention participant surveys scores. It was hypothesised that subjective wellbeing would increase. In three out of four measures (SAS-SV, SHS and QOLS) the hypothesis was upheld, although impacts were relatively small. 93.6% of experimental group participants said they “might’ or “would” consider self-imposing intervention conditions moving forward, suggesting that participants experienced greater benefits not measurable through the questionnaires selected. Some qualitative analysis supports exploration of findings. Further research to explore other wellbeing impacts is encouraged.