UK teens report sleep, wellbeing gains under social media restrictions, study shows

LONDON - British teenagers who took part in a government-backed trial of social media restrictions reported improvements in sleep, concentration and wellbeing, according to a study published on Tuesday.

• A complete ban on social media apps generated the strongest reported gains in focus but also the greatest social disruption.

• An overnight social media curfew was the easiest restriction for families to maintain and produced the most consistent reported sleep benefits.

• Restrictions were commonly bypassed through tablets, laptops and old phones, while the teenagers said broader controls could also be circumvented through VPNs and false age declarations.

• The study, involving 309 households, was commissioned by the government before outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced plans to ban social media access for under-16s.

• Participants aged 13 to 17 were assigned to one of three interventions for one month: a 15-minute daily limit per social media app, a 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. social media curfew, or complete removal of social media apps from their devices.

• All those groups reported improvements in sleep, mood, concentration, study time and family interaction.

• The 15-minute-per-app limit had the lowest compliance rate and was frequently described as impractical because it interrupted conversations and peer communication.

• Many participants reported feeling disconnected from friends during the trial, particularly where Snapchat was their primary means of communication.

• They said restrictions should be sensitive to age and maturity, with greater autonomy for older teenagers.

(Reporting by Sam Tabahriti; editing by William James)

Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect

This story was originally published July 14, 2026 at 9:18 AM.