Should kids be spending less time on screens?

 

Should kids be spending less time on screens?

    The idea of whether or not kids should be spending less time on their screens is a widely debated topic, and due to the recent worldwide pandemic kids have been on their screens more than ever. According to one study, screen time has increased by 500% so far. Many are arguing that as long as there is some balance and these habits don’t continue post-pandemic the amount of screen time kids are currently spending is fine. However, it seems that the majority of medical and even personal sources are pointing to this being a problem. From personal experiences to long-term consequences and even the effects it can have on daily life this seems to be a pretty large problem. Let’s explore more.

  

     Now there are a lot of resources out there pointing to the amount of screen time currently used by kids being unhealthy. So I decided to conduct an experiment where I spent a week limiting my screen time to less than two hours a day and noticed an improvement in my mood, sleep focus, and productiveness. Now there is a lot of research backing up the push to try and lower the amount of time kids spend on their screens. However, oftentimes the impact of numbers and statistics aren’t effective when it comes to convincing especially younger children, but also people in general so I decided instead to try out an experiment of my own. Now my original goal was to attempt to cut out screen time entirely however I found this ended up being almost impossible especially due to the recent pandemic making technology a must-have for any outside communication. So I instead aimed for a more reasonable goal. I decided in regulation with what seems to be a healthy amount of screen time for teens and adults according to the majority of the healthcare industry, two hours(not including time used for school) was what I would go for. Now, this didn’t seem like it would be difficult at all, however, I found that just the time my family spent watching things in the evening took up most if not all of this time. So rather than use up that five minutes left I decided instead to find another use for the rest of my free time. I found throughout this experiment that my mood, energy levels, focus, and sleep improved tremendously. Those are some areas I had been having trouble with(I thought it was mostly due to the lockdown) however though it didn’t fix those areas completely it certainly helped. Also through limiting the time I spent on screens I found that I acquired a lot more time to pursue other interests. Four days in I had written three songs, turned in my audition for a musical(that I had been procrastinating), and turned in an application for a volunteering opportunity that interested me. All in all, I found this experiment to be very eye-opening and prove the ideas that I later researched. 

    However, a personal story will never be able to convince everyone, so let’s move on to some more evidence-based research. According to the majority of studies, younger children spend 4-6 hours on screens a day while teens spend an average between 7.5 and 9 hours. That means the average amount of time that young children are spending on screens is 60-91 days(a quarter of their year), while teens are spending a whopping 114-136 days a year! So what does this beyond excessive screen time cause? One thing excessive screen time can cause is problems with sleep that can turn into insomnia. This is mostly due to the blue lights emitted from the screen that replicate lights during the day causing our circadian rhythm to not be able to detect when it’s night time if we use devices at night. Another thing it can cause is a change in mood, especially if one's screen time involves social media. On social media of any kind, there is often a lot of unrest and disagreements that could cause even the most patient person to grow frustrated. However not only can social media cause more frustration but scientists have also linked it to the growing rates of depression among teens. After all, constantly viewing the perfect aspects of your favorite influencers’ lives while simultaneously comparing it to all aspects of your own would be difficult for adults let alone teens whose brains are still developing. Lastly, over-exposure to screens can begin to cause a decline in one's ability to focus. For example, think of how many videos and games are structured. They are designed to stimulate chemicals in your brain that cause you to feel good or excited. However, this makes other tasks that may typically cause less pleasure or excitement less enticing. So if other activities that are still fun are boring once exposed to excessive screen time then just imagine how the more mundane tasks feel. This is one of the reasons screen time has been linked to a decrease in grades. 

    Lastly, let's discuss what these symptoms may mean in the future. Now we don’t have an exact answer to this question as this level of technology has not been around long enough for us to see, however, there are undoubtedly many speculations. Since 1975 the obesity rate in America has tripled, and many experts believe it is due to the American population embracing a more sedentary lifestyle. Even just since 2007(when the first iPhone was released), it has risen by over 23 million Americans. So what could this mean for the future? There are many long-term consequences of obesity, including heart disease, diabetes, stroke, pulmonary conditions, sleep disorders, and cancer to name a few. However, physical health isn’t the only area that this excessive screen time is impacting. The long term complications of mental health are also a large concern. According to research conducted by The Center for Treatment of Anxiety and Mood Disorders, mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression could often be traced back to excessive screen time.

    So how can we fix this? The answer to this question seems to be a simple one. By reducing our screen time. Sounds easy right? Well, I’m not going to lie, that's not completely the case. After all, for many teens, it can turn into a legitimate addiction. However, if this slight inconvenience can prevent all these future problems, then I can say for me at least it is very much worth it.

Bibliography

Acadiana weight loss surgery. “The Immediate and Long-Term Effects of Obesity.” Acadiana weight loss surgery, 7 December 2016, https://acadianaweightlosssurgery.com/blog/the-immediate-and-long-term-effects-of-obesity. Accessed 17 December 2020.

The Center for Treatment of Anxiety and Mood Disorders. “How Much Is Too Much? Technology, Screen Time, And Your Mental Health.” Center for Anxiety Disorders, 20 January 2020, https://centerforanxietydisorders.com/how-much-is-too-much-technology-screen-time-and-your-mental-health/#:~:text=For%20kids%2C%20anxiety%2C%20depression%2C,screen%20time%20per%20day%2C%20%E2%80%9C%E2%80%A6. Accessed 17 December 2020.

Morin, Amy. “The Harmful Effects of Too Much Screen Time for Kids.” Very Well Family, 17 September 2020, https://www.verywellfamily.com/the-negative-effects-of-too-much-screen-time-1094877#:~:text=The%20light%20emitted%20from%20screens,to%20become%20desensitized%20to%20it. Accessed 16 December 2020.

Pandika, Melissa. “The Unexpected Effects of All That Screen Time.” Rally Health, 26 September 2016, https://www.rallyhealth.com/health/unexpected-effects-screen-time. Accessed 16 December 2020.

Welch, Ashley. “Health experts say parents need to drastically cut kids' screen time.” CBS News, 6 August 2018, https://www.cbsnews.com/news/parents-need-to-drastically-cut-kids-screen-time-devices-american-heart-association/#:~:text=Kids%20and%20teens%20age%208,is%20one%20hour%20per%20day. Accessed 16 December 2020.