Mood modification and daytime dysfunction serve as the critical psychological bridges connecting social media addiction to poor sleep quality, according to new network analysis research from Marshall University and international partners.
The study, published in Nature and Science of Sleep, surveyed 1,139 high school graduates in Bangladesh to map the specific symptom pathways between digital dependency and rest. By employing network analysis rather than traditional regression models, researchers identified that “daytime dysfunction” — struggling to stay awake or enthusiastic — acts as the primary connector between the two conditions.
“These findings underscore that sleep health and social media behaviours are deeply intertwined,” says Dr David Gozal, Dean of the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine at Marshall University. “Our results highlight the importance of targeted interventions to promote healthier digital and sleep habits among young people.”
Divides in digital dependency
The research revealed distinct gender disparities in how these issues manifest. Whilst male participants reported higher overall social media addiction scores , female participants suffered from significantly poorer sleep quality.
Network comparison tests indicated that for females, “relapse” symptoms — the inability to cut down on usage — were more central to the condition, whereas perceived sleep quality played a more dominant role in the male network structure.
Beyond daytime dysfunction, the analysis identified “mood modification” (using social media to alter emotional states) and sleep latency (taking time to fall asleep) as significant bridge symptoms. These specific points of interaction suggest that interventions should target emotional regulation and daytime alertness rather than simply encouraging general reductions in screen time.
