Insomnia, screen time, and their impact on functional impairment among anxiety disorders

ABSTRACT Background: Anxiety disorders are among the most prevalent psychiatric disorders and are associated with insomnia, increased screen time, and functional impairment. However, limited research exists on these associations in adults, particularly in the Indian population. Aim: To assess the prevalence and severity of insomnia, screen time, and their impact on functional impairment among patients with anxiety disorders and compare the results with healthy individuals. Materials and Methods: This is an observational cross-sectional study, conducted at a tertiary care hospital in South India from 2023 to 2024. The study included 160 individuals, aged 18–65 years, 80 patients diagnosed with anxiety disorders (International Classification of Disease-10) and 80 healthy individuals. The Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, Athens Insomnia Scale, Screen Time Questionnaire, and WHO Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0 were used. The Chi-square test and independent t-test were used for group comparisons. Pearson correlation analysis was used to assess relationships between variables. Results: The prevalence of insomnia was significantly higher in the anxiety group (91.25%) than in the comparison group (30.00%). Mean values for insomnia severity, screen time, and functional disability were significantly higher in patients. A positive correlation between anxiety levels, insomnia, screen time, and functional impairment was observed in patients. In addition, a similar correlation was noted in healthy individuals, though not significant. Conclusion: Our study domains affect each other significantly, leading to functional impairment. The correlation was also observed in healthy individuals. Hence, in this smartphone and Internet era, there is a need to incorporate a routine assessment of insomnia and screen time into psychiatric evaluations and general health checkups to improve overall quality of life.