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Smartphone addiction and sedentary time are associated with poorer sleep quality and more frequent neck/shoulder symptoms in university students

In a cross-sectional study of 585 university students, higher smartphone addiction and longer sedentary time were associated with higher PSQI scores, a higher prevalence of poor sleep (43.8%), and a higher prevalence of neck/shoulder symptoms (46.2%). Meeting physical activity recommendations was associated with lower PSQI scores and lower prevalence of poor sleep but not with neck/shoulder symptoms.

Last updated: Jul 15, 2026•0 RCTs•📖 Read as article →

Evidence Score

Evidence Score34/100
Human RCT☆☆☆☆☆
Meta-analysis☆☆☆☆☆
Mechanism★★★★★
Safety★★★★☆
Confidencelow

Study Evidence

Study 1. Associations of smartphone addiction and physical activity with sleep quality and neck/shoulder symptoms in university students: a cross-sectional study.

observational

Yue W, Cao S, Zhao J, Wang Q, Lai W, Zhang J, Cui Y · Frontiers in public health (2026)

Participants: N/A
Duration: 7 days (recall period for sleep and symptoms)
Intervention: Smartphone addiction and sedentary time (observational; no intervention tested)
Outcome: Sleep quality (PSQI score, prevalence of poor sleep) and neck/shoulder symptoms (prevalence during previous 7 days)
Effect Size: N/A (adjusted associations reported via regression coefficients and prevalence ratios, but specific effect sizes not provided in abstract)
Population: University students (n=585) from a single university in Jilin Province, China

Result:

PubMed: 42440670DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1848640

Mechanism Graph

Higher smartphone addiction increases screen time and sedentary behavior
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Sedentary time and smartphone use disrupt sleep through blue light exposure and cognitive arousal
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Poor sleep quality may exacerbate musculoskeletal symptoms
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Result: Smartphone addiction and sedentary time associated with poorer sleep and more neck/shoulder symptoms

Limitations

  • ⚠Cross-sectional design prevents causal inference
  • ⚠Single university sample limits generalizability to other populations
  • ⚠Self-reported measures may introduce recall bias

Frequently Asked Questions

What percentage of students had poor sleep quality?▼

43.8% of participants were classified as having poor sleep.

Did physical activity reduce neck/shoulder symptoms?▼

No, meeting physical activity recommendations showed no independent association with neck/shoulder symptoms.

Was the interaction between smartphone addiction and physical activity significant?▼

No, the formal interaction terms were not statistically significant, though descriptive plots suggested lower predicted PSQI scores and neck/shoulder symptoms among physically active students.

What questionnaires were used in this study?▼

Validated questionnaires were used to assess smartphone addiction, physical activity, sedentary time, sleep quality (PSQI), and neck/shoulder symptoms.

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References

  1. 1.Yue W, Cao S, Zhao J, Wang Q, Lai W, Zhang J, Cui Y. "Associations of smartphone addiction and physical activity with sleep quality and neck/shoulder symptoms in university students: a cross-sectional study.." Frontiers in public health, 2026. PMID: 42440670 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2026.1848640
Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Evidence scores reflect the quality and quantity of available research, not clinical recommendations. Always consult a healthcare professional before starting any supplement or intervention.