Screen Time and Your Health: Finding a Healthy Balance

*TogetherMed is not offering any medical advice.

If you are a middle or high school student, there is a pretty good chance that you spend a lot of time looking at a screen every day. Whether it is your phone, laptop, TV, tablet, or gaming console, screens are a big part of our lives. We use them for school, talking to friends, watching shows, playing games, and even learning about health.

Screens are not necessarily a bad thing. They can be really helpful and are a normal part of everyday life. However, spending too much time on screens can sometimes get in the way of things that are important for our health, like getting enough sleep, being active, and spending time with other people.

So, how much screen time is too much? There is not one perfect answer for everyone. Instead of only thinking about the number of hours you spend on a screen, it can be helpful to think about what you are doing on your screen and what that screen time might be replacing.

How Screen Time Can Affect Sleep

One of the biggest ways screen use can affect students is through sleep. It can be really easy to say that you are going to watch one more video or scroll for a few more minutes before bed, only to realize that it is much later than you thought.

Using your phone right before bed can also make it harder to relax and get ready for sleep. Messages, notifications, videos, and social media can keep your brain active when you should be winding down.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends avoiding screens for about an hour before going to bed and keeping devices out of the bedroom when possible. Teenagers also need around 8 to 10 hours of sleep each night.

Getting enough sleep is important for school, sports, your mood, and your overall health. One simple change you can try is putting your phone away before you get into bed. You could also turn on Do Not Disturb or leave your phone across the room while you sleep.

What About Being Active?

Another thing to think about is how much time you spend sitting while using screens.

Maybe you sit on your bed scrolling through TikTok after school. Maybe you spend a few hours playing video games or watching Netflix. There is nothing wrong with doing these things sometimes, but it becomes a problem if screen time starts taking the place of movement.

The CDC found that teenagers who reported four or more hours of screen time per day outside of schoolwork were more likely to report not getting enough physical activity compared with teens who reported less screen time. However, this study showed an association and does not prove that screen time caused lower physical activity.

Being active does not mean you have to go to the gym every day. Playing a sport, walking your dog, going for a bike ride, going outside with friends, or even just taking a break to walk around can help you move more during the day.

Social Media and Your Mental Health

For a lot of teenagers, social media is one of the biggest parts of screen time. It can be a great way to stay connected with friends, find people who have similar interests, and discover new things.

At the same time, social media can sometimes make you feel stressed, left out, or bad about yourself. Seeing other people constantly post about their best moments can make it seem like everyone else has a perfect life, even though that is not what real life looks like.

Research is still being done on exactly how social media affects teenagers. The U.S. Surgeon General has said that there are still important gaps in what researchers know about the effects of social media on young people's mental health.

It can be helpful to pay attention to how you feel when you use social media. If you usually feel worse after scrolling through certain accounts, it might be worth muting or unfollowing them. Taking a break from social media can also be a good way to give yourself some space.

Screen Time and School

Screens can also make studying a little complicated.

You might open your laptop to work on an assignment and then suddenly find yourself watching videos or checking social media. Even when you are trying to focus, notifications can make it hard to stay on task.

One thing that can help is putting your phone on Do Not Disturb or moving it somewhere that is not right next to you while you work. You can also take short breaks instead of trying to stare at your computer for hours without stopping.

Technology is a huge part of school today, so the goal is not to avoid screens completely. It is about making sure your technology is helping you instead of constantly distracting you.

Remember to Give Your Eyes a Break

Have you ever been on your phone for a long time and noticed that your eyes feel tired or your head starts to hurt?

Looking at a screen for long periods can contribute to eye discomfort and tired eyes. One strategy that can help is called the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes, look at something about 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds.

You can also take regular breaks from your screen and make sure your screen is at a comfortable brightness and distance.

If you regularly have eye pain, blurry vision, or headaches, talk to a parent or guardian and consider talking with an eye-care professional.

It Is Not About Giving Up Your Phone

When people talk about screen time, it can sometimes sound like the answer is to just stop using your phone. That is not realistic for most students.

Screens are part of school, communication, entertainment, and everyday life. They can help us learn new things, keep up with friends, create things, and find information.

Instead of asking yourself, "How can I completely stop using screens?" try asking yourself, "Is my screen time getting in the way of anything important?"

If you are staying up really late because you are scrolling, maybe it is time to put your phone away earlier. If you have been sitting inside all afternoon watching videos, maybe go outside for a little while. If social media is making you feel bad about yourself, maybe take a break.

Small changes can make a difference.

Finding Your Balance

There is no perfect amount of screen time that works for every teenager. A student who spends two hours on a laptop doing homework has a very different type of screen use than someone who spends two hours scrolling through social media.

Instead of worrying about having the "perfect" amount of screen time, think about whether you are still making time for the other things your body and mind need.

Are you getting enough sleep? Are you moving around during the day? Are you spending time with friends and family? Are you keeping up with school? Do you have time to relax without constantly being on your phone?

If the answer to some of these questions is no, it might be worth taking a closer look at your screen habits.

You do not have to completely give up your phone or your favorite apps. Try making one small change and see how you feel. Maybe put your phone away 30 minutes earlier at night. Maybe take a walk instead of scrolling after school. Maybe spend some time with your friends without everyone being on their phones.

Being healthy does not mean never using screens. It means finding a balance that allows you to enjoy technology while still taking care of yourself.

Sources

This article uses information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Surgeon General.