Examining the Impact of Digital Misinformation on Your Sleep Quality

On any given day, over two billion users visit YouTube, making it one of the most popular and widely accessed platforms on the internet. While some people use the internet to pass time, many others turn to search engines to inquire about health-related questions. Navigating through these quick-fix health hacks can be difficult, especially those with claims that aren’t backed by science. 

There's a growing trend on YouTube of misinformation about sleep medicine, including tips and advice on improving sleep disorders. In this blog we visit with Viral Doshi, M.D., a sleep medicine specialist with INTEGRIS Health Medical Group Pulmonology and Sleep Medicine, to examine how watching these videos for information can harm your sleep health.

What the research shows

The bottom line: Research shows digital misinformation about sleep health circulating on places like YouTube can significantly impact the ability to get a good night's sleep. 

Most of the sleep-related content on YouTube is created by bloggers – not medical experts – and contains misinformation.

• For example, the most popular sleep medicine videos about sleep tips and insomnia were produced by bloggers (42.9%), followed by medical professionals (33.3%) and health coaches (23.8%).
• Two-thirds (66.7%) of popular videos featured commercial biases, which can influence how users interpret the information.
• Although expert videos didn’t contain any biases, they received far less views compared to popular videos.
• Popular videos containing misinformation averaged 8.2 million views, while videos from medical experts averaged just 300,000 views.

It’s unclear exactly why videos from bloggers receive exponentially more views, but there are some theories.

• Videos by bloggers often use fancy graphics and engaging photos to market to users. They also tend to be more relatable.

It’s important to pay close attention to sources when viewing information related to sleep medicine.

• Misinformation may cause patients to either receive incorrect treatment or avoid the doctor’s office altogether.
• For those seeking accurate information on sleep health, it's essential to rely on trusted sources and experts, such as the physicians at the INTEGRIS Health Sleep Disorders Center of Oklahoma.
• When in doubt, talk to your physician. 

“Around 30% of Americans do not get adequate sleep,” says Doshi. “Watching these videos for information can actually harm your sleep and overall health instead.” 

The impact of misinformation

Heightened anxiety levels can occur due to exposure to misleading information.

• People who tend to be more anxious often seek information – which is typically negative – to quiet their anxiety by reducing worry. This high anxiety also makes it more likely that negative information is shared to friends and family.

A distorted sense of reality can create a fear response. 

• This mental unrest can disrupt your ability to relax and unwind before bedtime.

Stressful situations may arise when exposed to misleading content.

• Feelings of stress, helplessness or sadness may develop, all of which can interfere with your sleep patterns.

Cognition can go into overdrive when attempting to decipher fact from fiction. 

• Cognitive overload that occurs close to bedtime can keep your mind active and prevent the brain from winding down.

Screen time increases when watching videos or reading content.

• Going down a rabbit hole before bed causes the eyes to absorb blue light from digital devices. Blue light can disrupt your circadian rhythm.

Sleep disruptions can occur even after you fall asleep.

• Emotional responses from digital misinformation may cause you to wake up in the middle of the night or even develop disruptive dreams or nightmares.

Misinformation can feed a vicious cycle.

• People who lack trust tend to search for information, which often is misinformation. This misinformation then leads to more distrust.

Explore more: More than a third of Americans suffer from insomnia or poor sleep, which makes sleep aids a popular choice to achieve a better night’s sleep. However, they can have dangerous side effects. Here’s what you should know. 

Common sleep-related myths

Myth: Naps can make up for poor sleep habits.

• Fact: Short naps can provide short bursts of energy, but extended naps can disrupt your regular sleep-wake cycle. Limit naps to 20-30 minutes to prevent entering deeper stages of sleep that can result in grogginess. However, it’s important to note that naps are not recommended for people who have difficulty sleeping at night, according to Doshi.

Myth: Snoring is harmless.

• Fact: Snoring is more than annoyance – it can be a sign of obstructive sleep apnea or other medical conditions such as allergies or anatomical abnormalities.

“Snoring in a conjugation of symptoms, like excessive daytime fatigue or sleepiness, frequent nighttime awakenings, breathing difficulty at night, new onset of hypertension, inability to lose weight, worsening daytime focus or worsening psychiatric condition, likely point to the diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea,” says Doshi. “Patients should seek care to see a sleep specialist to get a sleep study done as soon as possible.” 

For treatment of sleep apnea, Doshi says continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, is the most effective and warns against some of the more commonly advertised over-the-counter products. 

“Commonly advertised over the counter products like nasal strip and dental devices typically do not work at all and are not recommended as the first line of treatment for obstructive sleep apnea,” he notes. 

Myth: Sleeping in on weekends can make up for lost sleep.

• Fact: Sleeping in on Saturdays or Sundays can provide a temporary boost, but it doesn’t compensate for consistent sleep deprivation. Consistent and sufficient nightly sleep is key.

Myth: Insomnia risks are equal for both women and men.

• Fact: Women are at a higher risk of experiencing insomnia, often influenced by hormonal fluctuations, pregnancy and menopause.

Myth: You can function on minimal sleep.

• Fact: Receiving seven to nine hours of quality sleep each night is optimal. Chronic sleep deprivation can impair cognitive function, increase risk of cardiovascular issues, can lead to health issues such as weight gain and a weakened immunity and can have an overall impact on your alertness and problem-solving skills.

“It’s important for adults to get seven to nine hours of sleep per day,” Doshi advises. “Kids and teenagers require an even higher amount of sleep. Not getting adequate sleep for a long time can increase the risk of cardiovascular problems and pre-mature death.” 

Myth: Time of day doesn’t matter when sleeping.

• Fact: Your body relies on the circadian rhythm to regulate sleep-wake cycles. Consistently going to sleep and waking up at different times can disrupt your circadian rhythm, leading to difficulties in falling asleep and staying asleep.

Myth: The brain is inactive during sleep.

• Fact: The brain remains hard at work when you sleep. For example, it consolidates memories to help you learn and retain knowledge. It also helps repair and regenerate new cells and aids in emotional regulation.

Your life depends on sleep. If you’re having issues going to sleep or staying asleep, INTEGRIS Health Sleep Disorders Center of Oklahoma offers diagnosis and treatments for people suffering from sleep disorders. Contact us today.