It is well known that there is an association between depression and sleep disturbance, but studies have also found that sleep disturbance can lead to depression in teenagers.
A study of over 17,000 adolescents published in 2012 reported an association between nighttime mobile phone use and poor mental health, suicidal feelings and self-harm.
A study of over 300 teenagers published in 2015 found that smartphone use in bed before sleep was related to shorter sleep duration and higher levels of depressive
symptoms.
Mobile phone use at night has also been demonstrated to be directly associated with mental health disorders independent of sleep.
Fear Of Missing Out (FOMO) creates anxiety and is associated with increased hormone release (such as dopamine), the same hormone involved in addiction disorders.
An American survey of 1,787 young adults found an association between the number of social media platforms used and the risk of depression and anxiety.
Alongside an increase in smartphone ownership and use in teenagers, recent data also suggests a shift towards poorer sleep patterns over the past decades.
Read MoreI frequently see teenagers referred to my clinic complaining of chronic fatigue, daytime sleepiness, pain and headaches.
Read MoreA recent study found that American college students spent nearly 9 hours a day on their mobile phones!
Read More