Smartphones, sleep, and circadian disruption: insights from a transitioning indigenous community
A recent study by Trebucq et al. (2026) explores how smartphones affect sleep and circadian rhythms in the Toba/Qom, an indigenous community in Argentina that has only recently adopted these devices. The researchers found that smartphone users went to sleep later, slept less, and experienced shifts in their internal biological clocks.
This study provides a rare glimpse into how digital integration can disrupt sleep physiology and behaviour in a population transitioning from a pre-industrial lifestyle, offering broader insights into the effects of modern technology on human health.
Read the full study here: https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsag039
Also see our recent feature on RF exposure and sleep: Radiofrequency (RF) Radiation and Sleep: Emerging Evidence & Public Health Concerns
See Graphical Abstract from Trebucq et al., 2026 👇
