Screen Time

A century ago, screen time was limited to watching a silent film once a week at a Saturday matinee. Fast forward to 2021 and the average American now spends more than 11 hours per day interacting with electronic media:

• This includes watching shows, movies and videos; reading; listening to music and podcasts and scrolling news and social media feeds.

• People access this content through a tablet, computer, smartphone or television.

• Experts say excess screen time can be harmful to physical and emotional health, as well as personal relationships.

hours

minutes

is the average amount of time teens spend on screen-based devices daily, not including school or homework. Top screen activities include Tv/videos (39%), gaming (22%) and social media (16%).

–Common Sense Media

Excessive gaming or internet use has been shown to shrink the part of the brain that governs functions such as empathy and impulse control.

Brain Function

Screens emit a blue light that signals the brain that it’s daytime—or wake time—making it harder for people to fall asleep or to stay asleep.

Insomnia

Spending a lot of time in the same position can cause pain and discomfort, especially if you are hunched over or sitting with a bent neck.

Poor Posture

The blue light from digital devices can cause Digital Eye Strain, which includes symptoms such as dry, scratchy eyes, blurred vision and headaches.

Eye Strain

Counter eye strain by following the 20-20-20 rule.

Every 20 minutes, look away from the screen and concentrate for 20 seconds on an object 20 feet away.

Screen time solutions

It doesn’t mean forsaking devices as much as it does embracing equilibrium.

Strive for balance so there’s time for other things. The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry notes that too much screen time may lead to a host of problems in children including lower grades in school, less time with family and friends and problems with sleep, weight, mood or self-image.

Use moderately

Indoors: cards, board games, puzzles, coloring and activity books, arts and crafts. Outdoors: sports, lawn games, swimming, gardening, biking, nature walks.

Explore other activities

Not-so-special effects

Spending too much time on devices such as TVs, computers, smartphones and tablets can have consequences.

Build healthy habits with Hy-Vee KidsFit Club. We make moving and fueling fun for the whole family. Join fitness expert Daira Driftmier and Hy-Vee dietitians with our AT HOME series, a free program to kick-start conversation about health in your family.

Build confidence in all areas of health by completing new monthly challenges. Then earn rewards by submitting your challenge. Let’s make the healthy choice easy, fun and rewarding!

with DAIRA DRIFTMIER

The certified personal trainer and director of Hy-Vee KidsFit and Hy-Vee Fitness explains how families can build healthy habits to counter sedentary screen time.

Q: Digital devices are part of modern life. How can you find a balance?

A: Setting limits and rules for screens helps hold you accountable. Did you know you can have a timer to put your phone in sleep mode after 8 p.m. to help your body get ready for sleep? Another rule we have at our house to help encourage more conversation is no screens at the dinner table. This is important in building strong social and mental health skills.

Q: How can the family become more active?

A: When you make activity fun, it builds consistency because you are more likely to do it more often. One example is to play—something you do that brings joy, puts a smile on your face and sometimes increases interaction with others. This could be anything from a miniature golf outing to badminton in the backyard to interactive gameplay in the living room.

Q: What do you recommend to boost consistency?

A: The trick is finding an activity you enjoy and trying to do it at least 30 minutes each day. This helps build more consistency. Walking is one of the easiest forms of exercise for almost everyone. Daily walks help build endurance to play with kids or grandkids. Resistance training could make it easier for you to get in and out of the car or up off the floor. Riding a bike could build your balance to help decrease the risk of falling as you get older. Your commitment to moving daily is building a foundation of habits and it starts when you are young.

Q: How can KidsFit help deal with screen overload?

A: Hy-Vee KidsFit is more than following along with our videos. It is building a mindset about accepting new challenges. Each month the family can take the new Hy-Vee KidsFit Club challenge to help focus on their health. Learn more at hy-veekidsfit.com

Q: Is it OK to combine screen time with exercise?

A: Absolutely! Screens can be very efficient in building and encouraging movement. And the addictive nature of screens can be a positive when they help you “stick” to building in more activity.

of american teens say they have access to a smartphone, and NEARLY HALF SAY THEY ARE ONLINE ‘ALMOST CONSTANTLY.’

– Pew Research

Small steps to reduce screen time

Take action to encourage healthy, lifelong habits among the entire family.

Do it as a family

Children may find it less challenging to reduce screen time when the whole family is involved. Start by tracking everyone’s screen time and setting new parameters for everyone.

turn off notifications

Those bells and pings are hard to ignore out of sheer curiosity. This is one way to quiet the barrage.

eat away from screens

Multitasking is common these days, but it doesn’t have to involve eating while watching TV or scrolling on a smartphone.

designate screen-free zones and/or time

Family meals and bedtime are a given. It’s also helpful to silence devices and keep them out of arm’s reach for undistracted conversation.

Digital devices are making kids more sedentary, which is linked with youth being overweight or obese, according to the American Heart Association.

I screen,

you screen,

we all

Digital devices are an inescapable part of modern life, but they don’t have to drain all your time. The solution might be to moderate screen time and balance it with other activities.

hy-veekidsfit.com