Why you shouldn't watch TikTok before bed It has been proven that it does something dangerous and you should avoid it
TikTok can be as entertaining as it is harmful. It is known that from time to time, very dangerous challenges that can directly affect the health of users become popular on the social network. But TikTok can not only cause you harm when trying to create a “trend”, but also when used repeatedly at night.
Because? Well, because according to new research from Sleep Junkie (a website that conducts studies on sleep and mattresses), TikTok is the social network that has the most impact on the sleep cycle. This finding adds to other studies that have shown that the Chinese app is one of the apps that negatively affects the quality of sleep.
It has long been known that using mobile phones at night can cause insomnia. Now, the question is… which of the many apps on Android and iOS is the worst for sleeping? Well, everything seems to point to TikTok. According to the aforementioned research, watching TikTok before going to bed can leave you sleepless for 67 minutes. That beats the records of other apps like Instagram (58 minutes), Snapchat (56 minutes), Twitter (50 minutes), and Facebook (45 minutes).
Additionally, another finding from this study is that TikTok reduces REM sleep (the deepest and most restorative stage). Typically, this stage accounts for between 20% and 25% of total sleep for someone who is not connected to electronic devices when sleeping. With TikTok, REM sleep drops to 14%, much more than it drops with Instagram (15.5%) and Facebook (19.5%).
Now, surely at this point you must be wondering… How can TikTok negatively affect sleep? Well, there are several theories (yet unproven) as to why this happens. The most important ones are the following:
- Maintains cognitive activation of the brain: Mobile phone screens emit intense blue light that disrupts the circadian rhythm, making the body believe that it is not time yet and that you should remain alert and awake.
- You become addicted to the content and develop FOMO syndrome: Like any other substance or product that generates a reward stimulus for the body, it is possible for a person to become addicted to the social network. In addition, you can also develop the fear of missing out or FOMO syndrome, a psychological illness linked to insomnia.
- The hormonal pattern of sleep is altered: Finally, it should be noted that the satisfaction generated by TikTok content leads to the release of dopamine and oxytocin. Although these are happiness hormones, they ultimately replace melatonin, the hormone associated with sleep that should prevail at night.