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| screentime and health |
SCREEN TIME
Screen time is time spent using devices with screens, such as computer, TV, Vedio game consoles. This concept has been intensively studied along with related concepts of digital media use and mental health. Screen time correlates with psychological and physical damage in child development.
The first electronic display was the cathode ray tube (CRT), invented in 1897 and commercialized in 1922. Until the introduction of liquid crystal displays (LCDs) in the early 2000s, CRTs were the most popular display choice.
Screens are now an integral part of the entertainment, advertising, and information technology.
Since 2007, smartphones have been ubiquitous in our daily lives.
In 2019, 81% of American adults reported owning a smartphone, up from 64% in 2015. A 2016 US study found that the median screen time over 30 days was 3.7 minutes per hour.
MENTAL HEALTH
Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and
social well-being. It affects our thoughts, feelings, and actions. It also
helps you decide how to manage stress, interact with others, and make healthy
choices.
Although these terms are often used interchangeably, poor
mental health and mental illness are not the same things. A person may have
poor mental health and not be diagnosed with a mental illness. Similarly, a
person diagnosed with a mental illness may experience well-being physically, mentally, and socially.
HOW SCREENTIME AND HEALTH ARE CO-RELATED
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| screentime and health |
With digital technology at its peak, it is important to
understand the impact of digitization on health. The study sought to establish
the relationship between screen time and health effects. Screen time has
increased as entertainment, advertising, and information technology are shared
across screens.
In recent years, there has been a dramatic increase in the use of electronic devices among young people. Meanwhile, the mental health of adolescents is declining dramatically. Excessive screen time has emerged as a behavior that can affect mental health. Recent research suggests that many teens are widely recommended to limit their screen time to two hours a day. We routinely ignore recommended guidelines for screen time.
Studies show that more screen time is associated with a
negative self-concept and an increased risk of obesity. Not surprisingly,
increased screen time correlates with a lack of physical activity. This means
less and less time spent outdoors and in contact with nature. In other words,
screen time has replaced "green time."
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 20% of teens spend 7 or
more hours in front of a screen each day. These teens are twice as likely to be
diagnosed with depression and anxiety compared to their teens who spend just
one hour a day in front of a screen. Additionally, increased screen time is
associated with insomnia, obesity, and emotional lability.
IMPACT OF SCREEN TIME ON MENTAL HEALTH
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| screentime and mental health |
So many people ask: Does screen time affect mental health? Does this constant screen access help or harm our mental health? Does it provide an additional source of stress or anxiety?
1- How Screens
Affect Sleep
Many people surf social media, watch their favorite shows, and use screens until they fall asleep.
Research suggests that more screen time can reduce both sleep quality and sleep duration.This is especially noticeable in children and teens who have screens in the bedroom that they can access before bedtime. Inadequate sleep quality or duration contributes to the exacerbation of many psychiatric disorders, including depression and anxiety. Practicing good “sleep hygiene” by turning off electronic devices at least 15-30 minutes before bedtime prevents the use of technology and screens from negatively impacting your sleep.
2- Screen time and
Depression
Comedy shows and the
ability to talk to friends with a tap will put a smile on your face. But the
truth is, staring at a screen for hours on end can make a person feel worse.
A 2017 study found that adults who watched TV or used a computer more than six hours a day were more likely to have moderate to severe depression.
The constant connection can make us feel disconnected, says
Dr. Gail Saltz, a psychoanalyst at the New York Institute of Psychoanalysis.
"Loneliness has something to do with an intimacy that feels real and familiar, but screens don't provide that...but people are replacing the time they spend in real relationships with screen time," says Saltz.
3- The brain's
reward system becomes desensitized by screen time.
Electronic devices are "addicted" to by many kids,
and games release so much dopamine (a "feel good" chemical) that they
appear on brain scans to be doing cocaine. Overusing reward pathways, however,
makes them less sensitive and increases the amount of stimulus needed to feel
pleasure. Even minor variations in dopamine sensitivity can have disastrous
impacts on a child's mood and function, while dopamine is also crucial for
motivation and focus.
4- Screen usage
lowers levels of physical activity and "green time" exposure.
According to research, spending time outside, especially
when being in nature, can help people become more focused, less stressed, and
less aggressive. Thus, exposure to mood-enhancing natural substances is
decreased when using electronics.
5- Obesity
A risk factor for obesity is spending too much time doing
sedentary activities like playing video games or watching TV. A person's heart
health can affect their chance of developing diabetes, having high blood
pressure, or having high cholesterol.
6- Video games and
watching videos raise the risk of
According to a recent study, screen usage among teenagers
doubled during the epidemic and did them no good, particularly if they spent
more time playing video games or browsing videos.
According to a recent national study led by UC San Francisco researchers and published in the Journal of Adolescent Health, preteens' chances of developing the obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) over two years increased by 15% for every hour they played video games and by 11% for every hour watched videos.
HOW TO REDUCE SCREEN TIME?
1- Set a Good
Example by reducing your screen time to no more than two hours.
2- Talk to Your
Family about your different things, events, occasions, etc.
3- Create
screen-free bedrooms
4- establish
screen time limits by making home rules for everyone.
5- Make family
time during meals by turning off your LCDS, TV, and Computers.
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