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Excessive screen time can affect one's sleep, thereby increasing risk of depressive symptoms -- especially among teenage girls, according to a new study. Studies have consistently linked use of screens and devices with a poorer quality of sleep and a higher chance of mental health conditions, such as anxiety and depression. However, researchers from Sweden's Karolinska Institutet said that sleep problems and depression can often coincide, and the direction of these links has been unclear. For the study, findings of which are published in the journal 'PLOS Global Public Health', the team tracked 4,810 Swedish students aged 12-16, collecting data on sleep quality and quantity, depressive symptoms, and screen usage over the course of a year. An increased screen time led to deteriorated sleep within three months, impacting both the duration and quality of sleep, the study found. Screen time was also found to postpone sleep times towards later hours -- disrupting multiple aspects of th