Effects of Automated Diurnal Variation in Electronic Screen Temperature on Sleep Quality in Young Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial

ABSTRACT

Objective

Determine whether automated changes in electronic screen color temperature of personal electronic devices is associated with changes in objective and self-reported indices of sleep and mental health in young adults, as well as determine feasibility and acceptability of the experimental manipulation.

Participants

A single-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted at a large public university in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Fifty-five participants (female=78%, mean age=19.45 years) who reported using a smartphone and/or laptop computer two hours before bedtime were randomized into either an experimental group (EG; n=29) or active control group (ACG; n=26).

Methods

Both the EG and ACG had installed on their devices a piece of software that automatically lowers the color temperature of these devices’ screens as the day progresses (“f.lux”). However, only the EG had the blue-light-reducing features activated, and participants were blind to condition. Before and after the one-week long experimental manipulation period, participants completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Pediatric Daytime Sleepiness Scale (PDSS), Pre-Sleep Arousal Scale (PSAS), and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ) and wore an actiwatch for seven consecutive nights.

Results

Participants in the EG did not show greater improvement in objective sleep, self-reported sleep, or mental health compared to participants in the ACG. Participants in the EG rated the software as more distracting and purposely disabled the software more often compared to participants in the ACG.

Conclusions

Automated diurnal variation in electronic screen temperature in personal devices did not improve sleep or mental health in young adults.

KEYWORDS:

• Pediatrics – Adolescents
• Psychopathology
• Behavioral Sleep Medicine
• Electronic screens

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Nicholas Allen is the co-founder of, and holds an equity interest in, Ksana Health Inc.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed on the publisher’s website.

Additional information

Funding

Internal University Funding (Faculty startup funds).