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Dependence on TV, mobile phones and laptops may be costing people dearly - in lack of sleep, writes Patricia Reaney.
Watching television every evening before going to sleep, playing video games late into the night or checking emails and text messages before turning off the lights could be interfering with sleep habits.
"Unfortunately, mobile phones and computers, which make our lives more productive and enjoyable, may be abused to the point that they hinder getting to sleep at night, leaving millions functioning poorly the next day," said Russell Rosenberg, the vice chairman of the Washington, US-based National Sleep Foundation (NSF).
Nearly 95 per cent of people questioned in an NSF study said they used some type of electronics in the hour before going to bed, and about two-thirds admitted they do not get enough sleep during the week.
Charles Czeisler, of Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston US, said exposure to artificial light before going to bed can increase alertness and suppress the release of melatonin, a sleep-promoting hormone.
"Technology has invaded the bedroom," Mr Czeisler explained. "Invasion of such alerting technologies into the bedroom may contribute to the high proportion of respondents who reported they get less sleep than they need."
Baby boomers, or people aged 46-64 years old, were the biggest offenders of watching television every night before going to sleep, while more than a third of 13-18 year-olds and 28 per cent of young adults 19-29-year-olds played video games before going to sleep.
Sixty one per cent also said they used their computer or laptop at least a few nights each week.
And a propensity to stay in touch means that even people who have managed to fall asleep, are being woken up by phone calls, texts and emails during the night.
"One in 10 children report they are being awoken by texts after they have gone to bed. People don't turn off their Blackberries," said Czeisler, adding that much of this is happening at the expense of sleep.
Generation Z'ers, 13-18 year olds, were the most sleep-deprived group, with 22 per cent describing themselves as 'sleepy', compared to only nine per cent of baby boomers.
Sleep experts recommend that teenagers get around nine hours of sleep a night but adolescents in the study were only averaging seven hours and 26 minutes on weeknights.
"I am the most concerned about how little sleep 13-18 years are getting," said Mr Czeisler. "Kids today are getting an hour and a half to two hours less sleep per night than they did a century ago. That means that they are losing about 50 hours of sleep per month."
A lack of sleep is negatively impacting on work, mood, family, driving habits, sex lives and health, according to the NSF.
All age groups are coping by consuming caffeinated drinks - about three 12-ounce beverages per person - per day, and taking naps during the day.
"Parents should get these technologies out of the bedrooms of kids if they want them to do well in school," added Mr Czeisler.
