Night owls more prone to problematic smartphone use, with loneliness and anxiety as key factors

A new study suggests that young adults who naturally prefer to stay up late and wake up late are at a higher risk for developing problematic patterns of smartphone and social media use. The research indicates that feelings of loneliness and anxiety may be significant underlying reasons for this connection, offering new perspectives for addressing technology addiction. The findings were published in the scientific journal PLOS One.

As smartphones and social media platforms have become embedded in daily life, concerns have grown about their potential for addiction. Problematic smartphone use is characterized by a dysfunctional relationship with the device, such as feeling distressed when it is not accessible or letting its use interfere with other life activities. Similarly, social media addiction involves dedicating so much time and effort to these platforms that other responsibilities are neglected.

These issues are especially common among young adults, a group where being an “evening type” is also highly prevalent. An individual’s circadian preference, or their natural inclination to be a morning person or an evening person, has been previously linked to addictive behaviors. Researchers have observed that people who are evening types report higher rates of both problematic smartphone use and social media addiction. What has been less clear is why this association exists. This study aimed to investigate potential psychological mechanisms that could explain the link, focusing on mental health, loneliness, and sleep quality as possible connecting factors.

To explore these connections, a team of researchers recruited 407 undergraduate students between the ages of 18 and 25. The participants, who had an average age of nearly 20, completed a series of established questionnaires online. These instruments were designed to measure several different aspects of their lives and well-being. One scale assessed the degree of problematic smartphone use, asking about things like feeling irritable when unable to use the phone. Another questionnaire measured social media addiction by probing core elements of addiction, such as preoccupation with social media and using it to escape from personal problems.

Participants also completed a survey to measure symptoms of anxiety and depression they had experienced in the last week. A separate scale was used to evaluate feelings of emotional and social loneliness. To gauge sleep, participants filled out a questionnaire about their subjective sleep quality over the past month. Finally, a standardized questionnaire determined each participant’s circadian preference, categorizing them as a morning type, an evening type, or an intermediate type based on their preferred times for waking and sleeping.

Free daily newsletter

The researchers then analyzed the collected data. First, they confirmed the expected associations. As predicted, individuals who identified as evening types reported higher levels of problematic smartphone use compared to morning and intermediate types. The evening preference was also associated with more symptoms of anxiety and depression, greater feelings of loneliness, and poorer sleep quality. Following this, the researchers employed a statistical method to test whether loneliness, anxiety, depression symptoms, and poor sleep quality could act as pathways explaining the relationship between being an evening person and problematic technology habits. Two separate analyses were conducted, one for problematic smartphone use and one for social media addiction.

In the analysis of problematic smartphone use, the results showed that loneliness was a significant explanatory factor. The connection between being an evening person and problematic smartphone use was partially accounted for by feelings of loneliness. This means that part of the reason evening types might engage in unhealthy smartphone habits is linked to their feelings of being lonely. The other factors, including anxiety, depression symptoms, and poor sleep quality, did not emerge as significant pathways in this specific relationship. A direct connection between eveningness and problematic smartphone use remained even after accounting for loneliness.

The analysis for social media addiction revealed a different pattern. In this case, both loneliness and anxiety symptoms were found to be significant explanatory factors. Together, these two feelings fully accounted for the relationship between being an evening person and social media addiction. This suggests that the tendency for evening types to develop an addiction to social media is completely explained by their elevated feelings of loneliness and anxiety. Once these emotional states were considered, there was no longer a direct statistical link between being an evening person and being addicted to social media.

“Our findings point to a vicious cycle,” said co-author Anna-Stiina Wallinheimo of the School of Psychology, Sport, and Health Sciences at the University of Portsmouth. “Young adults who are naturally more active in the evening often find themselves socially out of sync, which may lead to feelings of loneliness and anxiety. Many then turn to smartphones and social media to cope, but unfortunately, these tools can make things worse, not better.”

The research team suggests that young adults who are evening types may turn to their phones and social media as a dysfunctional coping strategy. When feeling isolated or anxious, especially late at night when social opportunities are limited, the immediate accessibility of a smartphone can seem like a solution. However, this pattern of use may not truly fulfill social needs and could in some cases worsen negative feelings through mechanisms like upward social comparison.

The study has some limitations that the authors acknowledge. The participants were all university students, which means the findings may not be generalizable to all young adults in different life circumstances. The research also relied on self-reported data from questionnaires, which can be influenced by individual biases in memory or reporting. Because the data was collected at a single point in time, it is not possible to determine the direction of the relationships. For example, the study cannot establish whether being an evening person leads to loneliness, which in turn leads to phone use, or if other complex interactions are at play. Future research could use a longitudinal design, following individuals over time, to better understand these dynamics.

The study’s conclusions carry important implications for how to support young people’s mental health and well-being in an increasingly digital world. Co-author Simon Evans, from the School of Psychology at the University of Surrey, commented on the findings. “Rather than simply telling young people to spend less time on their phones, we need to address the reasons behind their usage,” he said. “That means providing effective strategies to manage loneliness and anxiety, particularly during late evening hours when support services are limited, and feelings of isolation can be most intense.”

The researchers are calling for more targeted education and support systems for young adults. Helping them recognize how their sleep patterns and emotional states might put them at risk for problematic technology use could be a key step.

“Increased awareness of these underlying mechanisms could lead to far more effective interventions,” Wallinheimo added. “If we can help young people understand that their phones and social media feeds aren’t the solution to loneliness or anxiety but part of the problem, we might begin to turn the tide.”

The study, “Mechanisms that link circadian preference to problematic smartphone and social media use in young adults,” was authored by Anna-Stiina Wallinheimo and Simon L. Evans.