Screen Time - Setting A Healthy Balance
Screens are everywhere we look these days. Phones, tablets, computers, and TVs make it easy for us spend most the day looking at screen. Yet growing evidence shows that too much screen time can take a toll on both physical and mental health.
Decreasing screen time is not about avoiding technology altogether. It's about finding balance. Limiting daily device use and building in regular breaks can help improve focus, restore sleep quality and support overall wellbeing.
According to the American Medical Association, “excessive screen time can have consequences for someone’s physical, mental, social and emotional health, as well as overall well-being”.
Some of the effects of excessive screen time include: eye strain, neck strain, back pain, sleep disruption, reduced activity, heightened stress and anxiety.
For children, social isolation can become a concern which can impact a child’s development in emotional intelligence.
Young children, from toddler to preteen ages, may also develop problems with behavioral regulation. Its more common for older preteens and teenagers to develop anxiety and depression.
Its important to keep in mind that not all screen time is created equally. We should consider the type of screen time as well as the amount of time its being used. High-quality screen time screen includes active, educational and interactive engagement that promotes learning, digital literacy, and skill buidling. educational or allows for creative expression may offer some benefits. Passive screen time can also be relaxing (such as watching a tv show or movie). But too much of any screen time, especially with children, can interfere with social development.
That National Center on Health Statistics at CDC reported that 50.4% of teenagers self-reported 4 hours or more of daily screen time as part of a research study during July 2021-December 2023 and that about 1 in 4 of these teens experienced symptoms of anxiety and depression over a two-week observation period. Teens with less screen exposure had significantly lower rates of anxiety and depression.
How much screen time is too much?
There isn’t a consistent answer to say an exact amount. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) moved away from time-specific recommendations to adopt a new set of guidelines in 2026 that follow a more individualized approach. The framework is called the 5 Cs. This framework better helps parents and caregivers determine how screen time is adding value to or hindering a child’s development.
The fact that children and teens have rapidly developing brains means they need different types of activities.
5 C’s Framework - Questions to consider
Child - Who is your child, how do they react to media, and what are their motivations for using media?
Content - What is worth their attention?
Calm - How do they calm their emotions or go to sleep?
Crowding Out - What does media get in the way of?
Communication - How can you talk about media to raise a media savvy, responsible child?
Here are some general guidelines if parents/caregivers still would like to know how much is too much?
Infant (0-18 months) - Occasional video chats with family and friends which are supervised.
Babies (18-24 months) - Supervised video chats with family and friends and occasional high-quality content that is educational.
Toddlers (2 to 5 years) - Recommended to ask questions to encourage engagement about what they’re seeing to develop understanding
Elementary -age (5-12 years) — Creative and education content promoting healthy interactions. This age is a great time to develop a family media plan to set limits on healthy media usage. Parents/caregivers should monitor device usage and make sure it doesn’t affect sleep, physical activity, and family time.
Teens (13-18 years) - Creative and educational content promoting healthy interactions. Parents/caregivers should monitor social media exposure and online activities and encourage frequent screen breaks.
What are some things families can do to limit screen time?
Make screen-free time a family affair.
Designate screen-free times of the week or screen-free zones at home. The whole family abides by these screen-free times. Some examples include no screens at the dinner table or at bed time. Plan family activities like family game night, family craft night, visiting the local park, or library as a family.
Set Digital Boundaries
Establish a “curfew” for turning off screens each night.
Utilize built-in app limits that lock you or your children out of specific apps after a set daily limit. Check out Apple Screen Time or Android Digital Wellbeing.
Turn off non-essential notifications so you aren’t getting frequent notifications.
Schedule specific times of the day to check your messages and emails.
Share this with family, friends and co-workers so they aren’t worrying when you don’t respond in real time.
Replace Screen Time with Healthy Activities and Habits
20-20-20 rule - For every 20 minutes of screen use, look at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds.
Take a walk when you are bored and tempted to reach for your tablet or phone.
Keep non-screen activities handy - board games, puzzles, physical books or magazine, notepads, coloring books, wordsearch, etc.
For adults whose job requires working on a computer or other screen most of the day, there are strategies that can help improve your productivity and reduce screen time.
Time Blocking - this is when you dedicate specific blocks on your calendar for distinct tasks allowing your to close all unrelated browser tabs and messaging apps during the block of time. You remove distracting notifications and improve your productivity.
The Pomodoro Technique - Work highly-focused for 25 minutes and then take a 5 minute break where you step away from your desk and use no screens.
One-Tab Rule - Limit your web browser to a single active tab when working. Take advantage of the bookmarking tool to save pages rather than keeping the tab open which can be a visual distraction.
Dedicate a section of your workspace to no screens. Use this specific area for offline tasks such as brainstorm, reading a physical document, or taking notes.
Working remotely can also increase digital fatigue. There are a few strategies that can help:
Give your brain time to reset between meetings or calls
Turn off notifications during meetings and calls.
Create a fake commute - Take a brief walk outside before your workday starts and right after it ends.
Organize your workspace at the end of each work day by closing your laptop, putting away your work calendar/notepad and clearing your desk or workspace.
Set a hard end of workday time - Close all work tabs and log out of communication software.
Lunches - eat your meals away from your computer and workspace.
Screens are here to stay and they help us connect to the world in ways we wouldn’t be able to otherwise, but as with everything, there needs to be a healthy balance. It’s ok to enjoy watching funny videos and chatting with friends and family through text or instant message. Just make sure you are setting healthy digital boundaries for yourself and your family.
Looking for more information and resources on screen time? Here’s some you might find benefical.