We have reached the point where digital screens have become ubiquitous, whether it's from a smartphone, a computer, or a TV. Several studies are already detailing the negative impact of such practices, even providing insight into the amount of screen time certain age groups should have.
Negative Effects
While it doesn't have a staggering list of downsides, the ones that do affect users could be significant. It is not only something that can affect one's mental health and capabilities, but the side effects could manifest physically as well.
There have been studies that saw correlations between excessive screen time and mental health problems like anxiety and depression. This may be the side effect of the lack of sleep, whether it's from doom-scrolling or the screen's blue light disrupting sleeping patterns.
As for physical health, it's not hard to determine how people being glued to screens can be detrimental. For instance, prolonged exposure to a device's light can cause eye strain. It can even lead to a sedentary lifestyle, resulting in less movement and increasing the risk of heart disease and obesity.
Pediatric psychologists have not found any evidence of social media's long-term effects on attention span, but as mentioned in CBS, it will be harder to focus on other tasks that children may find boring. It could be because of eagerness to get a hold of electronics, and/or digital entertainment has set a new bar for interests.
There is a certain level of convenience that is brought about by the digital age, but people have fallen deep into the habit of catching up with events online, which has impacted the amount of social interactions they have throughout the day.
Even though people are technically interacting with one another online through social media sites and messaging apps, real-life interactions are still crucial for one's social development and life, given that not everything can be done virtually.
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Screen Time Recommendations
It's hard to determine the limitations of each individual when it comes to screen time, but there are general suggestions from the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry for certain age groups.
For babies who are below 18 months of age, screen use should be limited to video chatting in order to stay in touch with family like parents or relatives, and those between 18 months to 24 months old should be limited to watching educational materials with the supervision of a caregiver.
For children between two years old to five years old, screen use is recommended to not exceed an hour during weekdays, and around three hours on the weekends. There are no recommendations for ages six and above, but the best basis would be to prevent it from impeding important tasks.
There are general rules that can be followed by all ages. For example, screens should be avoided 30 to 60 minutes before bedtime as it can disrupt a sleeping schedule. Individuals should also refrain from using any electronic during family meals and get-togethers.
Although it can be an effective method to calm toddlers and babies down, as well as help occupy their attention when other tasks need to be done, it is encouraged to find other solutions and avoid using screens as pacifiers.
