Screen time: How much is too much, and how do we know?

Due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, much of the world has shifted online, leading to a spike in already increasing screen-time.

​According to Common Sense Media, an organization focused on researching and advocating for safe technology use, there is not necessarily a proper number of hours of screen time appropriate for all ages or all users. However, studies also point to a link between excessive screen time and negative effects.

This notion is echoed by other organizations such as the World Health Organization.

Some of these effects include, but are not limited to, headaches, back pain, eye strain and ties to anxiety and depression.

​A 2018 study found that teens who spent seven or more hours a day on their screens were significantly more likely to be diagnosed with mental disorders compared to those that only use screens for one hour a day.

Simply put, there is not enough research specific to adults to draw conclusive evidence on an “appropriate” amount of hours.  

It was, however, noted in a 1998 study that users should not consume more than 38 hours of “non-work, non-school” screen time a week.

​If anyone feels they are experiencing screen addiction or side effects related to it, they can contact the university’s Counseling Center at 803-641-3609.