Can Too Much Screen Time Harm You?

Learn how spending excessive time on electronic devices can affect your brain and body.

Phones, tablets, even watches--screens are everywhere you turn. According to a recent survey from Common Sense Media, teens spend an average of seven hours and 22 minutes on screens every day--not including computer time for schoolwork!

And yet studies show that too much screen time can affect you in many ways. Teens may be especially at risk, since adolescence is a critical time in the development of the brain. So as much as you might enjoy watching funny videos or texting with your best friend, it's crucial to create habits that will give you a break from screen time. Here's why--and how.

Trouble Sleeping

Excessive screen time can disrupt the amount and quality of sleep you're getting. You may stay up later because you're so involved with what's happening on your device. The light from screens can also reduce the amount of melatonin your body produces. This chemical helps your body fall asleep, and stay asleep.

Normally, your body releases melatonin at night in response to darkness. Lights reduce melatonin production, keeping you awake.

Sleep is especially important for teens. Getting too little of it can weaken your immune system, making you more likely to get sick. Sleep deprivation can also affect your ability to learn. You probably know that it's hard to concentrate if you didn't get enough sleep the night before. But it can also affect your memory. Sleep is the time when your ' brain stores what it's learned during the day--making it possible for you to recall the information come test time.

Mood Changes

There is some evidence that too much scrolling and texting may also affect your emotional health. Some studies suggest a link between higher levels of screen time and an increase in symptoms of depression. Many other factors also play a role in depression, and scientists are still investigating the relationship between screen time and mood.

Other studies have revealed that some kids who engage in excessive screen time experience changes in their mood and behavior: They neglect responsibilities, turn to screens to deal with stress, and feel anxious when cut off from their devices.

Altering Your Brain

Too many hours on your phone may even cause physical changes to your brain. The cortex--the outer...