As we’ve all seen in recent years, spending lots of time in front of a computer, television or playing video games has become a favorite pastime for many of us, particularly our children. However, too much time participating in those activities can have a definite and potentially dangerous downside.
Studies show that many Americans are each day spending as much as 5 to 7 hours or more watching TV, staring at their computers or tablets, or paying an inordinate amount of attention to their cell phones.
Staring into a screen for extended periods of time can cause what’s known as “computer vision syndrome” leading to strained, dry eyes, blurred vision, and headaches. Poor posture can also cause neck and shoulder pain. A mere two hours of watching television a day can be the catalyst for a sedentary lifestyle that may increase the risk of weight gain, diabetes and heart disease in adults.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) youngsters ages 8-18 on average spend a whopping 7.5 hours in front of a screen for entertainment each day, 4.5 of which are spent watching TV. Over a year, that adds up to 114 full days watching a screen for fun. That’s just the time they spend in front of a screen for entertainment, which doesn’t include the time they spend on the computer at school for educational purposes, or at home for homework.
The CDC recommends kids get at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day. A large amount of the time kids spend watching TV, playing video games or surfing the web, is time they could be physically active and contributing to their own healthy lifestyle.
Too much screen time for kids can make it hard for them to sleep at night, raise their risk for attention problems, anxiety and depression and increase their risk for gaining too much weight. While kids may spend a lot of productive time using their computers for schoolwork, they may also spend a great deal of time surfing the internet, checking out social media outlets or watching YouTube videos, which in time could be an impediment to good health.
Helpful guidelines for parents to follow include allowing zero screen time for children less than 2 years of age, and limiting screen time for children over age 2 to 1 to 2 hours a day. Research has shown that videos aimed at very young children do not improve their development.
Tips on decreasing screen time include removing televisions and computers from your child’s room. Forbid TV watching during meals and homework, and do not leave the television on for background noise. Make a plan on which programs to watch ahead of time and turn the TV off immediately when they’re finished. Also, as a parent, provide a good example by lessening the amount of time you’re on a computer at home or watching television around your children.
One of the best things you can do as a parent is provide other options to take your child’s attention away from wanting to sit in front of a screen. Offer to play games with them inside and outside your house, take a family walk together, get your children involved with sports and other physical activities and encourage them to occasionally read a printed book.
If you have concerns or questions about your health, the health of someone in your family or are in need of a primary care physician for yourself or someone else, please call 317-880-7666 or visit www.eskenazihealth.edu/doctors.
Dr. Nydia Nunez-Estrada
Family Medicine Physician at Eskenazi Health