In today’s world, technology is a big part of everyday life.
Phones, iPads, laptops, and TVs are used everywhere. Many teens spend hours using them, but experts say that too much can harm one’s health.
Students in high school spend about 8 hours a day on technology, while several resources recommend less than 2 hours.
“Since COVID, students went from 40 hours a week of screen time to 60 hours a week,” district Psychologist Patrick Richardson said.
Too much screen time can be very addictive and can take up time instead of doing other things such as hobbies.
“The box is highly addictive” and “if I’m spending 60 hours a week doing anything, it’s too much,” Richardson said.
Too much screen time can also have a negative impact on sleep.
“You’re less likely to get the melatonin you need because of the blue light,” district Psychologist Alicia Knauf said.
Using social media can affect mental health, confidence, and self-esteem.
“People think they need to look a certain way which isn’t great,” health teacher Kyle Finfrock said.
Screen time can also affect many relationships.
“When teens are hanging out with friends and you’re kinda just like being involved on your phone and not really socializing it can hurt many relationships,” Richardson said.
Screen time gets in the way of schoolwork. Students can often find it hard to focus with constant screens around them.
“As technology continues to play a major role in education, students are increasingly finding it difficult to balance screen time for schoolwork with their personal leisure time, often leading to distractions and a decrease in productivity,” Knauf said.
Managing screen time is important. Setting limits and taking regular breaks can help reduce its negative effects.
“I think teens can balance it by setting certain hours for stuff or, like, taking breaks in between everything,” Devin Pierre (9) said.
Screen time is something that we use in our everyday lives and overusing it can affect students’ health, schoolwork, sleep, and relationships. Setting limits can help keep a healthy balance.
