HHS warns of children’s screen time use, citing impact on sleep, mental health

 The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) warned about children’s screen time in an advisory released Wednesday, citing impacts on sleep and mental health.

The “Surgeon General’s Warning on the Harms of Screen Use” states that “harmful screen use among children and adolescents has become a public health concern; growing up surrounded by screens of all types—televisions, computers, tablets, smartphones—is now the norm.”

“Exposure often begins before a child’s first birthday and increases as children age. By adolescence, children may spend more time on screens than sleeping or attending school,” the report continues.

Amid the rise of technology like smartphones and social media, there have been growing conversations about the tech’s impact on children’s mental health and safety, and how to manage its use.

Last month, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) passed a resolution to restrict screen time in all classrooms. The school board claimed the move made the district “a national leader in setting thoughtful, research-based limits on student screen use and classroom technology tools.”

The board passed the resolution 6-0 to restrict screen time limits for each grade level, get rid of technology for those in first grade and under, and bar student-led use of YouTube and other streaming platforms.

“A concern at all stages of life, and a particularly important one around children’s screen exposure, is its potential to disrupt healthy sleep, which is fundamental to learning, mood, behavior, physical health, and overall development,” the report states.

“Blue light wavelength at night may contribute to sleep disruption, while effects of other wavelengths, such as low-frequency wavelength, have been hypothesized and may warrant further study,” the report continues.

https://www.newsnationnow.com/health/children-screen-time-mental-health-sleep-effects-hhs/