Having access to broadband internet at home causes sleep deprivation, according to a new study from researchers at Bocconi University and the University of Pittsburgh.

The study, recently published in the Journal of Economic Behavior and Organization, suggests that having high-speed internet access negatively affects both the quality and quantity of sleep, particularly in younger individuals.

The research was conducted by Francesco Billari and Luca Stella of Bocconi University, Milan, and Osea Giuntella of the University of Pittsburgh.

The results should not come as particularly surprising. Sleep deprivation is pervasive. An estimated 50 to 70 million U.S. adults have sleep disorders or wakefulness disorders (excessive sleepiness during the day) and over a third of adults sleep less than the recommended seven hours a day.

There is mounting evidence that access to digital technologies — electronic media and touchscreen devices, in particular — is decreasing quality of sleep. The effects are evident in adults and children alike, but appear to be particularly pronounced in children.

This recent study seems to corroborate these findings. The researchers compared data from Germany on broadband internet access to surveys where individuals report their sleep habits and quality.

“Our results show that access to high-speed internet decreases sleep duration and quality,” said Billari, a full professor of demography at Bocconi University. “These facts are larger among individuals who face morning constraints in their time schedule.”

“These facts, together with evidence from time-use surveys that technology use near bedtime decreases sleep duration, suggest that individuals with access to high-speed Internet tend to increase the use of technology near bedtime. This, in turn, may have detrimental effects on sleep duration and quality.”

Billari also noted that the observed effects were stronger for individuals ages 18-30 than for individuals ages 31-59, while individuals over 60 did not appear to be strongly affected.

Billari explained that internet access likely increases the temptation to use digital technologies before bed. These temptations vary by age: teenagers and young adults ages 13-30 are more likely to play video games or watch TV or videos, while older adults ages 31-59 tend to use computers and smartphones.

A common thread between these devices is they all give off blue light, which has been linked in previous studies to lower melatonin levels and a variety of sleep issues.

“As many sleep experts suggest, keeping digital devices out of the bedroom may be a good solution,” said Billari.

“At the same time, there is growing evidence that exposure to blue-light emitting devices, such as PCs, tablets and smartphones, negatively affects sleep and circadian timing. Thus protecting eyes from blue light may reduce the detrimental effects of technology use near bedtime.

“Finally, our results suggest that more flexibility in the scheduling of morning constraints (school, work start times) may mitigate the detrimental effects of later bedtimes on sleep.”