We’re passing it on —check out Bethany Ostrander’s story from the Spartan Scout, the newspaper of WEB DuBois Middle School, on December 19, 2025.
Byline: Bethany Ostrander
HOW SCREEN TIME AFFECTS A TEENAGER’S SLEEP SCHEDULE
Many teenagers are not getting the recommended amount of sleep at night.
Those same teenagers spend a multitude of hours looking at different screens every day. Many scientists believe that phones affect how long and how well a student sleeps.
According to a survey conducted at Du Bois in December 2025, 10% of students who say they spend a lot of time on screens every day (7-10+ hours) also report that they don’t get the recommended amount of sleep at night (5-7 hours). This is because phone screens delay when melatonin is released in the brain.
Melatonin is a hormone released in your brain that makes you tired. “By delaying the release of Melatonin, screen time lengthens the time it takes to fall asleep and leads to less restful sleep overall,” reported…
