Moves by smartphone and tablet manufacturers to make their devices less damaging to sleep have been praised by a leading doctor, reports BBC.

The professor of sleep medicine told the BBC News website: “I think the industry has deliberately avoided passing any comment or even acknowledging the evidence and research until very recently.

“I think industry has been very worried about affecting sales and the use of their devices.”

He was contacted by some manufacturers after his work was published and said: “I wonder if it was fear over could anybody sue them?”