Does smartphone use affect PMS symptoms through sleep?

This study aims to test the mediating role of sleep quality in the relationship between nomophobia and premenstrual syndrome in women. 338 Turkish women [Age Range = 17–33, Age Mean = 21.12, Age Sd = 2.41] voluntarily participated in the study. Data were collected using the Nomophobia Questionnaire (NMP-Q), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the Premenstrual Syndrome Scale (PMSS), with measurement properties reported in accordance with APA 7 guidelines. A two-step structural equation modeling procedure was employed for the analyses, and the significance of the indirect effect was assessed through a bootstrap approach. The results revealed that nomophobia significantly predicted both sleep quality and premenstrual syndrome, and that sleep quality significantly predicted premenstrual syndrome. Moreover, the bootstrapping results indicated that sleep quality had a statistically significant mediating effect on the relationship between nomophobia and premenstrual syndrome. The results are discussed within the existing literature, and implications and recommendations for future research and practice are provided. In conclusion, these findings suggest that excessive smartphone use may exacerbate premenstrual symptoms by disrupting sleep; therefore, clinical interventions targeting the reduction of nomophobia and improvement of sleep hygiene are recommended as effective strategies for managing premenstrual syndrome.

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