Effects of Too Much Screen Time Palo Alto Medical Foundation Health Education Department Jenna Levy, Health Educator Medical Review: Leigha Winters, MD August 2016

More than 2 hours a day of screen time is bad for your health

Low Levels of Activity Screen time is related to decreased physical activity and an increased risk of obesity Obesity can lead to type 2 diabetes and heart disease

Junk Food It’s easy to overeat junk food while watching TV Advertisements can convince you to buy unhealthy foods

Sleep Problems Screen time before bed can make it harder to fall asleep can promote an irregular sleep cycle Lack of sleep can lead to fatigue, anxiety, and increased snacking the next day

Behavioral Problems Elementary students who spend more than 2 hours a day in front of the screen are more likely to have social, emotional, and attention problems Video games can also increase the risk of attention problems

Academic Problems Elementary students with a TV in their bedroom tend to perform worse on tests than elementary students without a TV in their bedroom Trouble sleeping due to screen time can make students feel tired and unfocused at school

Violence Too much exposure to violence in the media can make children think of violence as “normal” Children might accept violence as a way to solve problems

Depression Too much screen time can contribute to depression Less physical activity Fewer face-to-face interactions with friends

Less Activity Excess screen time leads to less activity, play time, and creativity

Limit Screen Time Spend 2 hours or less a day in front of a screen Remove TVs from bedrooms Do mini-workouts or a social activity instead of watching TV Don’t leave TV on in the background Keep a screen time log

References PAMF Screen Time http://www.pamf.org/youngadults/health/exercise/screentime.html Mayo Clinic Children’s Health http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/childrens-health/in-depth/children-and-tv/art-20047952