THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Uncovering a concerning development, the State Youth Commission has found that over 86% of youngsters aged 18-25 are sleeping late, drifting from the concept of sleep being a biological need. Primarily attributed to excessive gadget usage, the study also found that the quality of sleep among youngsters is also dipping, with 67% of them going to sleep after 11pm, and 29.6% of them sleeping for six hours or less.
Excessive screen time remains the key reason for sleep disruption among both females (46.8%) and males (44.5%), followed by irregular sleep routines and academic/work stress. A copy of the ‘Lifestyle Transformations and Well-being of Youth’ report, based on a survey of 1,969 individuals, has been handed over to the chief minister. The study was carried out by mental health experts and subject experts, with the cooperation of MSW and MSc psychology students from across the state.
Throwing light into behaviours in the digital space, the study notes that 74.2% of youngsters show greater awareness of the sensible use of technology, On a comforting note, it suggests that using social media as an escape mechanism from distressing emotions is not a predominant phenomenon, with 32.2% opining that they do not consider social media to be an effective coping mechanism. Additionally, 76.7% consider gaming largely as a normalised and socially regulated leisure activity rather than an addictive behaviour. Notably, 77.7% believe that social media plays a crucial role in the increasing violence among the youth.
The study also found that youth are greatly influenced by artificial intelligence content and technology, with 78.7% of them being frequent users of such tools. It states that youth are unaware of the ethical aspects of using AI in academics and personal life, nor are they concerned about the potential impact it could have on “individual efficacy and intellectual growth”.
In what could reveal future risks to the physical and mental health of youngsters, the study also found that 38.1% of them lead a predominantly sedentary lifestyle, with most engaging in less than 30 minutes of daily physical activity. Young men engage in physical activity more frequently and intensely (81.2%) than women (26.4%) and non-binary individuals (20%). Despite this, the study points out that a staggering 84.7% extensively search online for health-related information, which may not be credible.
Research committee chairperson Lima Raj pointed out that health-compromising behaviour — from delaying sleep due to doomscrolling to lack of proper exercise — is rampant among youngsters. “The lack of ample sleep poses high risks in the future, as many global studies have found that improper sleep could increase the chances of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease in people.
It is high time that people realise health is not a guaranteed luxury, but something we need to regularly invest in,” she said. The commission has recommended establishing wellness corners in educational institutions to promote physical and mental health, sports leagues to prevent a sedentary lifestyle and integration of healthy digital habit modules into the curriculum.