The rise of screen time
8th August 2023
Take a moment to think back 20 years and reflect on how far technology has come over this time. In the early 2000’s, most of us were excited about the latest Nokia phone which had the snake game on it and could store more than 50 contacts. Or if you were really tech savvy, you might have had a Blackberry. There was no social media, no smart phones….yet.
The rapid pace of development in device technology has been amazing over the past 20 years and has had some great benefits like being able to instantly communicate with people all over the world, allowed us to work remotely, look up all most anything our kids ask us (Google is now a verb), check the weather and have a map in our pocket. For most of us, there are dozens of great things about having a smartphone.
This rapid rise in technology has also meant a dramatic increase in the time we spend looking at screens. This increase in screen time is a relatively new problem and we are still learning about the health consequences of living a more digital life. We know that increased time on our phones is creating Tech Neck (rounded shoulders with forward head posture increasing neck pain and headaches), RSI in the thumbs and many research studies are now showing how screen time affects our brain function, especially in growing children during adolescence.
As teenagers' are growing their brains need downtime and periods of ‘boredom’ to be able to process previous events and develop their sense of self and their own identity (yes, different to what their parents would like sometimes!). This downtime is also a time for creativity. Increased screen time in teenagers often means they are missing these valuable times to develop themselves, instead they are counting their likes, comparing themselves to others (who are often editing pictures) and requiring external validation to feel good about themselves (this can be a problem for all ages on social media) .
We know that screen time, especially on social media app’s is becoming very addictive. This is because scrolling through our feeds gives a dopamine (our reward hormone and linked to happiness) hit that makes us feel good. This is more problematic in the mornings. If you reach for your phone to check your feeds soon after waking, this domaine hit sets up your baseline for the rest of your day which makes you more likely to check your social media feed to get another dopamine hit more often throughout the day.
Research has also shown that even having your phone near you can be distracting as your brain is primed for a ‘ding’ or vibration of a notification. This lowers your ability to process information and socially makes you more distracted (think about someone who has their phone on the table when out at lunch). This is also the case for students who have phones at schools. It is great to see schools are now moving to remove phones from the classrooms.
An issue we talk about a lot at MMFC is screen time late at night affecting sleep patterns, especially in teenagers. Sleep is one of the most important aspects of living a healthy life and we know that our brain will start to produce Melatonin (our sleep neurotransmitter) about an hour before we are ready to fall asleep. The problem a lot of people have is that our devices emit a blue light which stimulates our brain and stops the production of melatonin. To improve our sleep, it is best to get off screens an hour before you want to go to sleep and/or wear blue blocker glasses after the sun goes down to help settle down your brain.
Not all screen time is the same. Utilising our devices for good can help us be more productive, even more connected at times. Even a bit of mind numbing scrolling is ok here and there. But the reliance (and even addiction) to too much social media is coming at the cost of being social in person. Social connection has been shown to be one of the most important ingredients to living a happy and long life. While our devices were great at maintaining social connections through lockdowns a few years ago, we need to now put more emphasis on putting down our screens and engaging better with the people in our families and communities.
Tips for decreasing screen time
Limit time on specific apps (social media and other addictive apps)
Don't get on your phone as soon as you wake up in the morning. No social media in the first hour.
Detox - like anything we can become addicted to, taking time to separate yourself from it is great for your health. Use your phone for only calls and messages (think back to Nokia’s 20 years ago
Don't let social media replace real social connection
Parents - spend time talking face to face with your kids. No screens (inc TV) at specific times, especially meal times
Blue Blocker glasses - if you are going to be on your screens in the evening, you can reduce the amount of stimulation to the brain by wearing glasses that decrease the amount of blue light.