Nodding off but can’t disconnect: development and validation of the iNOD index of Nighttime Offline Distress

Abstract Background There is a pressing need to update sleep models, education and treatment to better reflect the realities of sleep in a 24/7 connected social world. Progress has been limited to date by available measurement tools, which have largely focused on the frequency or duration of individuals’ social media use, without capturing crucial sleep-relevant aspects of this inherently social and interactive experience. Methods Survey data from 3,008 adolescents (aged 10-18 years) was used to rigorously develop and validate a new self-report measure that quantifies difficulty disengaging from social media interactions at night: the index of Nighttime Offline Distress (iNOD). Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor analyses in a random split sample produced a ten-item two-factor solution, with subscales capturing concerns about Staying Connected and Following Etiquette (Cronbach’s alphas = .91 and .92 respectively). Results Those with higher scores on these subscales tended to report using social media for longer after they felt they should be asleep (rs = .41 and .26, respectively), shorter sleep duration (rs = -.24 and -.17, respectively) and poorer sleep quality (rs = -.33 and -.31, respectively). Results also pointed towards a potentially fragmented process of sleep displacement for those who may struggle to disconnect - and to stay disconnected - from social interactions in order to allow sufficient uninterrupted sleep opportunity. Conclusions These findings can inform current models for understanding normal and disordered sleep during adolescence, whilst highlighting specific social concerns as important potential targets for sleep education efforts.