Why older adults are hit hardest—and don't realize it
You might assume teens are the most harmed by bedtime social media, but a 2025 nationwide survey of 4,000 South Korean adults aged 20–69 found that older adults—especially men—were the most vulnerable to insomnia linked to digital media use. Daily bedtime use was associated with a 4.6 times higher risk of moderate-to-severe insomnia (Insomnia Severity Index score ≥15) in older males, compared to non-daily users [1]. This was the strongest association across all age groups in the study.
What makes this especially concerning is that older adults were also the least aware of the problem. For each additional year of age, awareness of the sleep-disrupting effects of digital media dropped by about 2% [1]. So the group most physically vulnerable to sleep disruption from social media is also the least likely to recognize it—a dangerous combination.
Teens with mental health conditions: a double hit
Adolescents already struggling with mental health issues are especially vulnerable to the sleep-disrupting effects of social media. A 2021 study of 243 psychiatrically hospitalized teens (average age 15) found that those who had more frequent negative emotional responses to social media—like feeling upset, jealous, or left out—reported significantly worse sleep disturbance and more severe clinical symptoms, including suicidal ideation, internalizing symptoms, and attention problems [5]. The study showed that sleep disruption was the mechanism linking those negative social media experiences to worse mental health outcomes.
This aligns with a broader 2024 scoping review that concluded social media use is consistently associated with poor sleep and mental health issues in youth, though the direction of causality is still being studied [2]. The takeaway: for teens already in psychiatric care, social media isn't just annoying—it may be actively worsening their condition through sleep disruption.
Women with PCOS: a medically vulnerable group overlooked in sleep research
Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) represent a distinct vulnerable population. A 2021 UK study of 333 women with PCOS during COVID-19 lockdown found that 73% reported a negative impact on their sleep from restrictions, and among those, 44% had at least moderately severe clinical insomnia [3]. These women also had significantly higher depression and stress levels, and lower quality of life, compared to those whose sleep was unaffected.
The study's authors specifically note that women with PCOS should be considered a vulnerable population for sleep disruption during stressful periods [3]. While this study focused on lockdown, the underlying principle applies broadly: any condition that already disrupts sleep or mood—like PCOS—makes the added burden of social media-induced sleep loss more damaging.
About These Sources
This answer is built on 5 peer-reviewed studies — published from 2021 to 2025, 3 from 2024 or later, 2 in Q1 journals, collectively cited 98 times — selected as the most relevant from 5 studies that passed quality screening, drawn from 44 papers retrieved from a database of over 500 million.
Sources used in this answer
Impact of Bedtime Digital Media Use on Sleep Across Age Groups: Insights From a Nationwide Survey in South Korea
In a nationwide survey of 4,000 South Korean adults aged 20–69, daily bedtime digital media use was linked to a 4.6 times higher odds of moderate-to-severe insomnia in older males, and older age was associated with lower awareness of these sleep-disrupting effects.
The Impact of Social Media Use on Sleep and Mental Health in Youth: a Scoping Review
This scoping review of recent literature found consistent evidence that social media use is associated with poor sleep and mental health issues in youth, though limited longitudinal research prevents establishing causality.
Sleep Disruption and Depression, Stress and Anxiety Levels in Women With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) During the Lockdown Measures for COVID-19 in the UK
Among 333 UK women with PCOS during COVID-19 lockdown, 73% reported negative sleep impacts, and 44% of those had at least moderately severe clinical insomnia, linked to higher depression, stress, and lower quality of life.
Navigating the Digital Maze: Unraveling the Link between Social Media Exposure and Psychosocial Stress in Adolescents
This review of adolescents found that excessive or emotionally charged social media use—including passive scrolling, social comparison, and cyberbullying—contributes to heightened stress, anxiety, depression, and sleep disruption.
Social media use, sleep, and psychopathology in psychiatrically hospitalized adolescents
In 243 psychiatrically hospitalized adolescents (average age 15), negative emotional responses to social media were linked to greater sleep disturbance and more severe clinical symptoms, with sleep disruption mediating the relationship.