Mobile phones and energy drinks are keeping teenagers awake at night, with a new study revealing a majority of senior school students are sleep-deprived.

More than half of 16 and 17-year-olds were not getting the recommended eight to 10 hours of sleep on school nights, with researchers confirming links between a lack of shut-eye and anxiety and depression.

The research, published by the Australian Institute of Family Studies, is the first detailed analysis of Australian students’ sleeping habits.

… a quarter of 12–15 year-olds were suffering from a lack of sleep

… teenagers who spend more than two hours a day on the web were sleep-deprived on school nights

“Certainly there have been concerns raised around the busy lifestyle these young people have been leading around homework, and also the screen use creeping into their evening activities,” Dr Evans-Whipp said.

“It’s not clear whether internet use contributes to reduced sleep or whether adolescents who have difficulty sleeping use the internet to deal with that or have more time to spend online because they are sleeping less.”

Caffeinated beverages, such as energy drinks and coffee, were also having a negative impact on 14 and 15-year-olds.