Background:　Numerous　studies　have　consistently　demonstrated　a　decline　in　sleep　quality　during　the　COVID-19　pandemic.　The　primary　objective　of　this　study　is　to　explore　the　impact　of　engaging　with　pertinent　epidemic　information　through　the　media　amid　the　COVID-19　crisis　on　individuals’　sleep　quality　and　the　underlying　mechanisms　through　which　this　influence　operates.　Methods:　An　online　cross-sectional　study　design　was　employed.　A　total　of　1,063　British　adults　(36.2%　males;　Mage　=　38.85,　SDage　=　13.36,　ranging　from　18　to　77　years　old)　participated　in　the　study　and　completed　our　questionnaires,　which　included　media　usage　frequency　during　the　pandemic,　the　10-item　Kessler　Psychological　Distress　Scale　(K10),　the　Insomnia　Severity　Index　(ISI),　and　the　Ten-item　Personality　Inventory　(TIPI).　Results:　Pearson’s　correlation　analyses　indicated　that　there　was　no　significant　correlation　between　COVID-19-related　traditional　media　use　(television,　radio,　newspaper)　and　psychological　distress　or　sleep　quality.　However,　exposure　to　information　related　to　COVID-19　through　new　media　use　(Facebook,　Tik　Tok,　Twitter)　was　correlated　with　greater　psychological　distress　and　poorer　sleep　quality.　A　moderated　mediation　analysis　showed　that　psychological　distress　fully　mediated　the　relationship　between　new　media　use　and　poor　sleep,　which　was　moderated　by　age,　with　the　association　between　psychological　distress　and　poor　sleep　quality　being　stronger　among　older　adults.　Conclusion:　Exposure　to　information　of　COVID-19　via　new　(but　not　traditional)　media　use　deteriorated　sleep　quality　through　greater　psychological　distress,　and　this　relationship　was　stronger　among　older　adults.　Copyright　©　2024　Xu,　Zhu,　Yu,　Dang　and　Schiöth.