Blue Light, Sleepless Nights: The Influence of Pre-Bedtime Screen Use on Sleep Quality Among School Teachers

Abstract

The growing use of digital screens in modern life has raised questions about their influence on sleep, especially among working professionals. This investigation explored how evening screen exposure affects sleep quality in a sample of 100 school teachers (28 males, 72 females) in India. Data were collected through a cross-sectional survey in which participants reported their average daily screen use, the time they stopped using screens before bed, and their sleep quality, assessed with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Descriptive and correlational analyses revealed a statistically significant but weak positive association between screen time and poor sleep quality, indicating that higher screen use was linked to slightly poorer sleep outcome. These findings suggest that screen exposure may have a modest influence on sleep among teachers, while other personal and lifestyle factors may also play an important role. The study is limited by its reliance on self-report measures, modest sample size, and cross-sectional design. Future research would benefit from longitudinal or experimental approaches, objective sleep tracking, and consider additional lifestyle and psychological factors that shape sleep quality.