Pre-bedtime screen activity and its role to sleep quality among pregnant women

Abstract

Background: Sleep quality during pregnancy is crucial for both mother and child, therefore identifying potential factors affecting quality is imperative. Objective: This research examined the role of screen time and pre-bedtime screen use on sleep quality during pregnancy. Methods: In total, 240 pregnant women from nine antenatal clinics in Kuala Lumpur, completed questionnaires on screen time, media usage and sleep quality. Results: The prevalence of poor sleep quality was 48% with a mean sleep duration of 6 hours 16 min. No association was observed between total screen time with sleep quality. About 82% of pregnant women engaged in various screen activities pre-bedtime. Pregnant women who used screen media pre-bedtime had significantly longer sleep latency (p=0.006), more sleep disturbance (p=0.044), greater daytime dysfunction (p=0.02) and poorer sleep quality (p=0.045). Engagement in active screen activities before bedtime, particularly social media usage (OR=2.08, 95% CI:1.64-3.73; p=0.013), text messaging (OR=1.72, 95% CI:1.01-2.92; p=0.045) and working using electronic gadget (OR=1.92, 95% CI:1.04–3.51; p=0.037) increased the risk of poor sleep quality among pregnant women. Conclusion: Decreasing active screen use during pregnancy especially before bedtime may confer health benefits associated with good sleep. Future longitudinal studies are warranted to explore pre-bedtime active screen time during pregnancy to provide evidence-based recommendation on good sleep.