Emma Sullivan: Sleep, Social Media & Anxiety

Does a bad night's sleep really fuel anxiety? And should we really be banning smartphones in schools?

This week we’ve ventured across campus to the Department of Psychology to talk to Emma Sullivan all about the complex science of sleep, screens, and stress.

Join us as Emma walks us through two bold projects. The first plunges participants into an unnerving virtual environment to reveal how a sleepless night traps the brain in a state of hypervigilance. The other tracks a Channel 4 documentary-inspired experiment where teenagers attempt a total smartphone ban.

We hear about the reality of sleep research: from watching brainwaves in the Sleep Lab and using Virtual Reality to test emotional recovery, to the hurdles of convincing teenagers to hand in their smartphones. Plus, we find out why the digital detox might not be the silver bullet for mental health that the headlines suggest.

Resources from this episode:

• Find out more about Emma's research: https://sites.google.com/york.ac.uk/emmasullivan-com/home 
• Follow Emma on BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/emmacsullivan.bsky.social 
• Channel 4 Documentary: https://www.channel4.com/programmes/swiped-the-school-that-banned-smartphones
• Get involved in psychology research at York: https://www.york.ac.uk/psychology/research/participate/

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Music by Matthew Bailey