Prevalence of Digital Media Dependence, Sleep Disturbance, and Social Interaction Patterns among Indian Paramilitary Personnel: A Descriptive Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract Objectives: This research aims to identify a relationship that exists between the Psychological Well-Being of Paramilitary Personnel and their Dependency on Digital Media and on the effects of using the Internet on their Sleep Patterns and Social Interactions. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was carried out to obtain information from 500 active paramilitary personnel in India. Most participants were between 26-45 years old and accounted for 82.6% of the total sample size of 500. The 75.4% of respondents were male, and represent the demographic make-up of the paramilitary personnel regarding the operational forces. Data collection occurred via structured questionnaires which assessed internet dependency, sleep disruptions, and preferences for social interactions. Findings: The findings show that excessive internet use occurred with greater frequency than anticipated; 43% of respondents reported this. In addition, 49% of respondents reported frequently experiencing urges to check social media; 36.4% of respondents reported that their internet usage interfered with their responsibilities; 53.4% of respondents reported having sleep difficulties attributable to using the internet; 58.2% of respondents reported having poor sleep quality following use of the internet at night; 50.6% of respondents reported having a reduced amount of sleep as a result of engaging in online activities; 49.4% of respondents reported preferring to interact with others over the internet rather than in person; and 49.8% of respondents reported feeling lonely despite being able to stay connected through the use of the internet. Novelty: The findings from this study provide item-level quantitative data regarding dependence and sleep, and provide valuable insight into certain social domains within the work environment of high-stress paramilitary workers. Through this study, we can further develop targeted digital hygiene and sleep protection interventions for the enhancement of resilience in high-stress paramilitary work environments. Keywords: Digital media dependence, Psychological well-being, Paramilitary forces, Sleep disturbance, Social interaction, Digital hygiene