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screen time

·June 19, 2025·7 min read

Addictive Screen Use, Not Time, Tied to Teen Suicide Risk

A major new study reveals that teens who develop compulsive patterns of digital use are at higher risk of suicidal thoughts, attempts, and mental health issues. Unlike total screen time, it’s the addictive nature of use—such as distress when not online or using screens to escape—that most strongly predicts poor outcomes.

This shows a person in bed and a tablet.

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·April 2, 2025·6 min read

Screen Time in Bed Linked to Less Sleep, Higher Insomnia Risk

A new study of over 45,000 young adults found that using screens in bed increases the risk of insomnia by 59% and cuts sleep by 24 minutes. Surprisingly, the type of activity—whether social media, movies, or studying—didn’t make a difference; it was the screen time itself that mattered most.

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·October 23, 2024·5 min read

Removing Pre-Bed Screen Time Improves Toddler Sleep

A world-first trial shows that eliminating screen time in the hour before bed significantly improves toddlers' sleep quality. The study involved 105 families and found that toddlers who replaced screen time with calming, non-screen activities slept more efficiently and woke up less during the night.

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·October 8, 2024·2 min read

Screen Time Linked to Mental Health Symptoms in Kids

A recent study finds that increased screen time is associated with higher levels of depression, anxiety, and attention issues among 9- and 10-year-olds. Following a diverse group over two years, researchers discovered that activities like video chatting, texting, and gaming were most strongly linked to depressive symptoms.

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·January 31, 2023·7 min read

Infants Exposed to Excessive Screen Time Show Differences in Brain Function Beyond Eight Years of Age

Greater exposure to screen time during infancy was linked to poor self-regulation and brain immaturity at age eight.

This shows a little girl in a field of flowers

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·January 23, 2023·5 min read

Getting Kids Outdoors Can Reduce the Negative Effects of Screen Time

Exposure to excessive screen time at age two is associated with poorer communication and daily living skills at age four, however, spending time outdoors can mitigate some of the negative effects of screen time.

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·April 2, 2021·2 min read

Toddler TV Time Not to Blame for Attention Problems

Contrary to popular belief, exposure to television does not, in itself, raise the risk for toddlers developing attention-deficit problems.

This shows a little boy playing a video game

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·February 19, 2021·6 min read

Boys Who Play Video Games Have Lower Depression Risk

Eleven-year-old boys who play video games often are less likely to develop symptoms of depression three years later than their peers who don't.

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·November 4, 2019·5 min read

Screen-based media associated with structural differences in brains of young children

Study reveals lower microstructural integrity in white matter tracts supporting language and emergent literacy skills in prekindergarten aged children exposed to excessive screen time media.

This shows a person in front of a computer at night

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·August 14, 2019·3 min read

Impulsive behavior linked to sleep and screen time

Too little sleep and too much screen time are linked to increased impulsive behaviors, especially in younger people. Reducing recreational screen time to two hours a day and sleeping for 9-11 hours per night can help curb impulse behaviors.

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·May 20, 2019·3 min read

Sleep problems in teenagers reversed in just one week by limiting screen use

Teens who are exposed to screen time for four or more hours a day have a 30-minute delay in sleep time and report more sleep disruptions than those who spend an hour a day using tech. However, reducing screen time for a week and using glasses to block out blue light help to resolve sleep problems.