GETTING A HANDLE ON
screen time The new TV season. Televised football games. Online homework. These are just a few of the activities that draw our attention to screens this time of year. And with fewer hours of daylight and colder weather comes more time spent indoors on devices for kids and adults alike. So what's the big deal?
The digital downside Too much screen time has been associated with: • Sleep deprivation • Obesity • Vision problems • Aches and pains • Speech delays • Poor social skills • Aggressive behavior • E xposure to unhealthy or inappropriate content
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The studies are not conclusive, but experts caution that the overuse of screens may have significant effects on brain chemistry, especially in developing kids and teens. And screen time can be habit-forming: Children and adults can exhibit addictive behaviors around screen usage, such as irritability and symptoms of withdrawal, when screens are taken away. © 2018 United HealthCare Services, Inc.
