Screen Time and Health

Screen Time and Health

Is screen time really bad for us?

According to Dr. Jean Twenge (2017) from San Diego State University in the US, teens from 13 to 18 years old who spend more time on screens were more likely to report depression and lower self-esteem. Moreover, young people who spent more than five hours on a device may have a higher suicide risk and mental health issues in future life, according to Twenge. Another research from the University of Otago by Dr. Louise Foley in 2021 found that her team monitored 250 children aged 6 to 12 years old over four weeks by using wearable devices to track their sleep. Dr. Foley concluded that children sleep better if they stop using screens one hour before bedtime. However, not all researchers explain that using screens significantly harms children’s mental health, as other factors like family life, sleep, and activity also play a role (Przybylski, 2019).

In my opinion, I agree that using screens affects sleep. From my own experience, if I stay screen-free one hour before bedtime, I sleep longer and don’t wake up during the night. So I believe reducing screen time before bed is very important for good sleep. For example, last year I watched TV for two hours before bedtime, and it was not a calm movie. The movie was about a difficult life in Denmark. It was very interesting to watch, but also very emotional. Whenever I go to bed after watching such films, I feel sleepless every time because my eyes and imagination still active, and I keep thinking about what will happen next. Anyway, I could not sleep and stayed up for another three hours. The same effect I have from using the screen of my phone and laptop. Also, I noticed that my children have a similar problem, watching the screen for a long time before bed make them also stay awake at night. Moreover, look at a screen for a long time before going to bed, the blue light from the phone or laptop affects our brain. It stops the production of melatonin, which is the hormone that helps us fall asleep. As a result, our body stays awake, and it becomes difficult to sleep. Sometimes the level of cortisol, the stress hormone, also stays high, which makes us feel more alert instead of calm. That’s why using screens late at night can cause problems with sleeping. Of course, some researchers say that the problem is not only the screen itself but also our life situation. Maybe some emotional problems together with screen time can cause these effects. However, from my own experience, I can say that even without any life problems, it is possible to have insomnia if you spend too much time in front of a screen.

Blue light: Screens emit blue light that can suppress the body's production of melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate sleep, making it harder to fall asleep.

Mental stimulation: Engaging content like games, videos, or social media can be mentally stimulating, preventing the mind from winding down and relaxing.

Sleep displacement: Screen use, particularly in bed, can take away from time that would otherwise be spent sleeping.

Sleep disruption: Notifications and alerts from devices can wake you up during the night.

Delayed bedtime: Staying up late with devices can lead to a consistently delayed bedtime and less overall sleep.

What do you think? I would also like to read or hear more analyses, comments, and experiments from people who have experienced sleep problems after watching screens for a long time.

Written by Alina