TikTok has been facing considerable scrutiny for contributing to a digital addiction among youths, leading to sleepless nights and potential exposure to harmful content. The platform has had to confront these issues during Senate hearings as well.
To tackle concerns about usage among children and teenagers, TikTok is unveiling an age-old solution: guided meditations. These meditative exercises will be available to all users but will automatically be activated for users under 18.
How Does It Work?
According to the company, “For users under 18, this feature will be switched on by default. If a teen uses TikTok after 10 PM, they will encounter a guided meditation to help them unwind for the night.”
If a user dismisses the initial wind-down prompt, they will receive a more persistent message that takes over the entire screen. Just last month, TikTok rolled out a nudging system that encouraged teens to close the app after 10 PM, which also included soothing music.
In its findings, TikTok reported that 98% of young users kept the guided meditation feature enabled. Adult users can also turn on this feature via the app’s Screen Time settings.
Meditation techniques are increasingly featured in wearable devices like smartwatches. For instance, devices such as the Samsung Galaxy Fit 3 can guide users through breathing exercises. Web browsers, including Opera, have adopted similar features to encourage users to take breaks and practice mindfulness.
Can It Really Help?
Research shows that smartphone usage in bed negatively impacts sleep duration and quality. Even small changes in nighttime phone habits can lead to significant improvements in sleep quality.
Another recent study published in Frontiers in Psychiatry highlighted that screen time in bed raises insomnia risks by 59% in young individuals, with each additional hour amplifying the risk by 63%, effectively reducing sleep time by an average of 24 minutes daily.
According to various studies, establishing a nighttime routine to limit screen use, combined with meditation, can yield substantial benefits like calming one’s mind and improving sleep quality.
The new feature from TikTok appears to be a positive step, especially considering its immense popularity among teens in the U.S. To enhance this initiative, TikTok is collaborating with health experts and increasing its investments in digital health initiatives.
