It’s Harder to Put Down Your Phone at Night: Scientists Found the Reason

Why Do We Reach for the Phone When Feeling Lonely?

Social media addiction is growing fastest among young people. Researchers point to one pattern: late nights and late mornings. When we delay sleep, we easily fall into an endless spiral—just one more video, just one more post. Why does night, specifically, encourage this habit and worsen mood? Here is what the new analyses show.

Nighttime Users Are Most Vulnerable to Social Media Addiction

That is what scientists from the School of Psychology in Great Britain wanted to find out. They examined over 400 students aged 18 to 25—a generation that has practically grown up with a phone in their hand. The results were published in the prestigious journal PLOS One. Participants completed a series of online surveys designed to show how their lifestyle, emotions, and sleep affect their social media addiction.

From the responses, the map of the modern user began to emerge—tired, overstimulated, yet unable to log off. Finally, the tests showed who each participant truly was: a night owl, a morning lark, or someone in between. This simple division proved key to understanding who most easily develops digital addiction.

Social Media Addiction: The Silent Companion of Insomnia

The research confirmed that night owls are more prone to social media addiction. Those who go to bed late and wake up late more often struggle with insomnia, anxiety, and even symptoms of depression. Loneliness proved to be particularly strong within this group. Does this mean that loneliness is the new addiction of the digital age?

The researchers therefore decided to check whether loneliness, anxiety, and poor sleep explained why evening users so easily fall into digital addiction.

When Support Turns into an Addiction

To check this, the scientists conducted two separate analyses. The first concerned problematic smartphone use; the second, social media addiction. The results were surprising. It turned out that the loneliest individuals were more likely to be unable to put down their phones, even when feeling tired or frustrated. Interestingly, in this case, anxiety, depression, or sleep problems did not explain why they lost control over their screen time.

How Social Media Addiction Affects Our Mood and Sleep

The second analysis brought different conclusions. It showed that loneliness and anxiety are the two most important factors linking the late-night lifestyle with social media addiction.

The researchers observed that so-called “night owls” reach for their phones not out of boredom, but out of a need for contact and emotional soothing. The problem is that social media often only deepens these states. When the researchers accounted for loneliness and anxiety, no other factor had a significant impact on the development of addiction.

When Loneliness Replaces Sleep: What the British Researchers Found

Anna-Stiina Wallinheimo and Simon L. Evans, the study authors, noted something hard to ignore. Young people reach for social media when they feel lonely, stressed, or simply need closeness. This most often happens at night—when the world falls silent and anxiety remains in the mind. The phone then becomes their only companion.

However, instead of bringing relief, social media often reinforces feelings of emptiness because it reminds them that others are coping better, laughing more often, and living more intensely.

Loneliness, Anxiety, and the Screen: Modernity’s Dangerous Trio

Social media addiction most frequently affects those who feel lonely and anxious. These are the people who postpone sleep, trying to find solace in scrolling through posts and stories. Instead of peace, however, they receive something else: escalating anxiety, feelings of emptiness, and even deeper addiction. As a result, their mental state gradually worsens, even though they initially sought only a moment of respite.

FAQ – Why Do We Get Addicted to Social Media?

Why do we get addicted to social media? Most often due to loneliness, the need for stimulation, and emotional support. Social media offers quick rewards and dopamine, which is why we easily lose control.

When does social media addiction begin? Most often unconsciously—starting with late-night scrolling and reaching for the phone “just for a moment.” This habit gradually turns into a compulsion.

How to stop social media addiction? Limiting time in apps, muting notifications, and taking digital breaks helps. In more severe cases, consulting a psychologist is recommended.

Read this article in Polish: Nocą trudniej odłożyć telefon. Naukowcy odkryli powód