Influence of Residential Area on Social Media Usage and Sleep Problems among Young Adults

A BSTRACT Introduction: Extensive use of social media has been linked to reduced sleep quality, daily dysfunction, sleep disorders, and depression. A study emphasized the notable effects of engaging with social media at night and emotionally investing in it, particularly affecting young adults’ sleep and general well-being. Methods: In the middle of 2022, 1150 data were gathered from 8 government college students aged 18–24 years in Imphal, employing both offline and online methods. The collection utilized simple random sampling and incorporated the questionnaire of the Social Media Usage Scale (SMUS) and Sleep Deprivation Scale (SDS) tools. Before this research endeavor, validation was conducted on two tools: SMUS and SDS. Results: The study found that young adults in Manipur exhibit moderate social media usage, favoring WhatsApp for communication over other platforms such as Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram. While social media habits do not significantly differ based on living area, sleep problems among Manipur’s youth vary significantly, with semi-urban dwellers experiencing more disturbances and poorer sleep quality than their rural and urban counterparts, indicating a significant (<0.001) impact of the residential area on sleep patterns. Conclusion: In the 21 st century, rather than enforcing specific behaviors regarding screen usage, it is crucial to educate young adults about cultivating healthy habits, setting boundaries, and engaging in fulfilling activities to reduce excessive screen time, improve sleep quality, and foster a balanced relationship with technology.