Jan 24, 2017 12:26 PM EST By Audri Taylors, UniversityHerald Reporter

Many students show up to school feeling tired and sleep deprived, and there could only be one reason most of the time - excessive use of social media.This over indulgence with social media may be detrimental not only to their health but also to their academic performance.

According to Big Think, a 2015 report by Common Sense Media shows that teens spend more than 9 hours a day consuming media on screens and because of this, instead of sleeping for about 8 to 9 hours a day, these kids end up sleeping for only 7 hours.

This sleep deprivation has been associated with poor cognitive functions as well as lower academic performance. These students feel tired because instead of getting a good night's sleep, they are spending so much time on their smartphones.

A study conducted by the researchers from the University-based Wales Institute of Social and Economic Research Data (WISERD) shows that one out of five teenagers even have to stay up late during the night in order to check their social media or to check for messages, according to Medical Xpress.

Apart from making youngsters feel tired at school and affecting their academic performance, sleep deprivation due to too much social media affects the students' happiness lowers their overall wellbeing.

WISERD's Dr. Kimberly Horton said that having a regular wake time and using the social media the night before appears to be more relevant in determining the reason why a student feels tired during the day, rather than trying to find out what time they go to bed. She also added how important it is to discourage adolescents from using social media during the night because no matter how much effort is exerted in developing regular bed times for these youngsters, it will never be enough to compensate for the disruption that social media can cause.

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