UK teens report sleep, wellbeing gains under social media restrictions, study shows

British teenagers who took part in a ​government-backed trial of ​social media restrictions reported improvements in sleep, concentration ​and wellbeing, according to a study published on Tuesday.

A complete ban on social media apps generated the strongest reported gains ‌in focus ⁠but also ⁠the greatest social disruption.

An overnight social media curfew was ​the easiest restriction for families to maintain and produced the most consistent ​reported sleep benefits.


Restrictions were commonly bypassed through tablets, laptops and old phones, while the teenagers said broader ​controls could also be circumvented through ⁠VPNs and ‌false age declarations.

The study, involving ​309 households, ​was commissioned by the government before outgoing ⁠Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced plans to ban ​social media access for under-16s.

Participants aged ​13 to 17 were assigned to one of three interventions for one month: a 15-minute daily limit per social media app, a 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. social media curfew, or complete removal of social ‌media apps from their devices.

All those groups reported improvements in sleep, mood, concentration, study ​time and ​family interaction.

The ⁠15-minute-per-app limit had the lowest compliance rate and was frequently described as impractical because it interrupted conversations and peer communication.

​Many participants reported feeling disconnected from friends during the trial, particularly where Snapchat was their primary means of communication.

They said restrictions should be sensitive to age and maturity, with greater autonomy for older teenagers.