Overexposure to screens
The negative impacts of overexposure to screens on young people's health
Young people with smartphones would not last more than an hour without them.
Barometer Association e-Enfance / 3018 – Caisse d’Epargne on bullying (2024)
The harmful effects of excessive screen time on children's health
The increasing number of screens in homes provides children with numerous sources of entertainment and information. Excessive or uncontrolled use can also have harmful effects on their physical and psychological health.
- Problems with concentration and memory : a decline in school results or withdrawal into oneself may alert you.
- Sleep disorders : Blue light from screens blocks the release of melatonin, the sleep hormone. This disrupts the internal clock and sleep cycles.
- Behavioural disorders and psychological consequences : breakdown of social ties, complexes, low self-esteem, anxiety, stress, depression, changes in attitude and mood.
- Physical consequences : eye strain, migraines, poor posture, excess weight (linked to inactivity and snacking in front of screens).
All these factors are signs of excessive screen use.
Overexposure to screens also raises other questions relating to’addiction to video games or online gambling, to an increased risk exposure to offensive or inappropriate content or even to bad online encounters, which can lead to cyberbullying, online scams, paedophilia, etc.
What can be done to regain control of digital tools?
The Overexposure to screens is not always just a question of time spent on screens. It is also a question of balance between a variety of activities.
If you notice that your child spends a lot of time in front of screens, there are several things you can do to change their habits:
- Adapt equipment according to your child's age with the rule 3-6-9-12 (developed by psychoanalyst Serge Tisseron): no television before the age of 3; no personal games console before the age of 6; no unsupervised internet use before the age of 9; no social media before the age of 12.
- Establish times and places without connection with psychologist Sabine Duflo's 4 «No» method: No screens in the morning; no screens during meals; no screens in the bedroom; no screens before bedtime.
- Encourage him to take breaks : this is the 20/20 principle: every 20 minutes, look 20 metres away for 20 seconds. This helps to alleviate dry eyes.
- Take a playful approach: Set your child a daily challenge to improve (reduce!) their screen time. Set an alarm and as soon as it goes off, switch to another activity!
- Establish rituals for disconnecting as a family: for example, one screen-free evening per week.
- Set an example: Limit your screen time yourself. Turn off your notifications to reduce distractions and switch to aeroplane mode so you won't be disturbed.
- Communicate: Explain to your child the role of dopamine (the pleasure hormone) and melatonin (the sleep hormone), which are stimulated by screens, and why it is important to limit their use at certain times of the day. Education is key to explaining why certain things are not allowed, rather than simply imposing rules that your child will often want to break.
If used in moderation, digital technology can be useful for improving your wellbeing and health: Online relaxation exercises, applications for managing your health parameters.
Did you know? Some studies show that video game players have better problem-solving skills! That's enough to reconcile you with your children's (non-excessive!) gaming habits...
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Bullying, cyberbullying, revenge porn, webcam blackmail, identity theft, gender-based and sexual violence, exposure to violent and pornographic content, etc., and all issues related to usage (video games, parental controls, account settings, overexposure to screens).
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