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Stop the vamping! Late-night cell phone use causing insomnia, other problems for teenagers

A lot of teenagers find it tough to put down their cell phones, especially at night. Using their phones when they should be sleeping (it's called "vamping") often leads to insomnia and other issues.

NORFOLK, Va. (WVEC) — If your teenager has trouble sleeping, the problem may be all that vamping he or she is doing.

What's vamping? Psychologist Doctor Jennifer Ripley said it refers to when teens are on their cell phones instead of sleeping. The late-night cell phone usage is leading to insomnia and a lot of it.

“There’s been a 25 percent increase in the last 5 to 7 years in teenagers having problems sleeping and sleeping less than 7 hours a night,” said Ripley.

Sixteen-year-old Erin Brownlow rarely goes to bed without her phone.

“I watch TV shows, watch YouTube, a lot of that. I’m on Instagram, a lot of social media, Twitter, stuff like that,” Brownlow told 13News Now.

Brownlow said she spends hours glued to her phone before bedtime and often finds it difficult to get out of bed in the morning. She sets 20 different alarms on her phone to wake up.

“They start off the earliest at 4:35 a.m. I mean, it’s a struggle, but you have to go with it," said Brownlow. "You have to go to school and get that education."

Ripley explained that the problem of insomnia can lead to other issues for including the inability to concentrate in class.

“If a teenager is not getting good sleep then their brain is tired and not able to make all the good cognitive connections that are necessary to be able to learn and grow,” said Ripley.

Brownlow admitted she's been known to doze off in class because of the all the vamping she does.

“In the beginning of the day, I’m a lot more energized. I’m not that tired," Brownlow said. "As the day goes on I’m definitely a lot more tired and feel myself drifting off in class."

Weaning your teen off of the cell phone at night may be difficult, but Ripley said if you do it, your teenager could end up getting the sleep he or she needs.

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