Social Media Usage and Attention Span as a Predictor of Sleep Quality among Young Adults

Social media usage has become increasingly pervasive, raising concerns about its potential effects on cognitive processes, such as attention, and physical outcomes, such as sleep quality. This study aims to investigate if social media usage, mindful attention awareness predict sleep quality among individuals. A cross-sectional correlational design involving 152 participants recruited through purposive sampling. Participants completed three measures: the Social Media Use Scale (SMUS) to assess social media usage patterns, the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) to evaluate levels of mindfulness, and the Jenkins sleep evaluation questionnaire to assess sleep quality. Pearson’s correlation analysis and Multiple regression analysis was conducted to explore the associations between social media usage, mindfulness, and sleep quality. It is hypothesized that higher levels of social media usage will be negatively correlated with mindfulness and sleep quality, with excessive usage, particularly in the evening, likely contributing to poorer outcomes. It is hypothesized that higher levels of social media usage will be negatively correlated with mindfulness and sleep quality, with excessive usage, particularly in the evening, likely contributing to poorer outcomes. The results revealed a significant negative relationship between mindfulness and sleep disturbances, indicating that individuals with higher mindfulness experienced better sleep quality. However, no significant correlation was found between social media usage and either mindfulness or sleep quality. Due to non-normality of the data, multiple regression analysis was not conducted. The findings provide insights into the complex relationship between social media behaviors, mindfulness, and sleep health, offering potential strategies for mitigating the adverse effects of social media use and improving overall well-being.