Sleep disturbance
Initial study results showed that compared with the other groups, adolescents with PIU tended to go to bed later, wake up later, take longer to fall asleep, sleep less at night, have more nighttime awakenings, and have more daytime sleepiness.
Sleep quality was the most impaired in boys aged 12-14 years who are addicted to internet computer games.
“In this group, 5 of the 6 sleep assessment parameters we studied were changed,” Dr. Tereshchenko reported.
Decreased total nighttime sleep was more common in older adolescents.
On average, boys and girls aged 15-18 years got less than the recommended 8 hours of sleep per night. Boys with IA got only about 6.4 hours per night and girls with IA got about 6.6 hours.
Interestingly, IA is generally more prevalent among teen girls than boys in Russia, which is not the case in Europe and North America, Dr. Tereshchenko noted.
Mechanisms linking IA and sleep disorders are not clear, but the relationship is probably multifactorial and perhaps interrelated, creating something of a “vicious circle,” he said.
“Sleep disturbances, which reflect psychosocial problems, depression, and anxiety-phobic disorders, can precede and contribute to IA. On the other hand, sleep disturbances such as insomnia can lead to increased use of the internet in the evening and at night, further exacerbating the problem,” said Dr. Tereshchenko.
Research is lacking on useful treatments for youth with IA, but these kids would likely benefit from behavioral therapy approaches, he added.
No escape?
Commenting on the study for this news organization, Maurice M. Ohayon, MD, DSc, PhD, director of the Stanford Sleep Epidemiology Research Center, Stanford University, California, said the topic of youth IA is “very important.”
Previous research in this field has shown a major impact from IA not only on sleep but also on mood – with irritability, depression, and even thoughts of suicide being possible red flags, said Dr. Ohayon, who was not involved in the current study.
Interestingly, his own research has also found that young teenage boys are most at risk for gaming addiction.
Although internet gaming has some positive effects, such as fostering leadership skills and relationships, it has become increasingly violent and isolating, with more adult professional gamers preying on younger players, Dr. Ohayon said.
“The major problem is that it’s putting children in a virtual world from which it’s difficult to escape,” he added.
Dr. Ohayon also noted concern about future developmental effects in kids who play video games for hours on end without coming out of their bedroom and with no physical contact with fellow players.
Parents should intervene before this situation occurs and limit the time their children spend on the gaming console, he said.
A version of this article first appeared on Medscape.com.