If you are a parent, you are probably aware of probably the most heated topics amongst parents: screen time and youngsters.
On the one hand, screen time helps children learn, develop creativity, and supports social interactions and bonds.
However, an excessive amount of time spent in front of a screen can negatively impact your child – not only their development, but in addition their physical health.
So how exactly does screen time affect your child’s physical health? And how are you able to help them develop a positive relationship with screens?
How much screen time is appropriate?
Australian The screen time guidelines are a part of the 24-hour movement guidelines. They outline the period of time we should allocate every day to physical activity, sleep, and screen time to keep up our physical and mental health and well-being.
Screen time guidelines, which are based on sedentary activity, recommend:
- children under two years of age don’t spend time in front of a screen
- no multiple hour of screen time for kids aged two to 5
- not more than two hours of free screen time outside school hours between the ages of 5 and seventeen.
But Just 17% 23% of Australian preschoolers and 15% of youngsters aged 5 to 12 meet these requirements Recommendations.
How Screen Time Affects Children’s Diet and Health
Children who spend more time in front of a screen are more prone to eat mindlessly and overeatingWhen kids are distracted by screens, they could not hear vital brain signals that allow them to know they are full.
They are also more prone to crave and eat unhealthy foods. This is partly as a consequence of junk food advertising accompanying content intended for kids on the screens.
A lesser-known way that an excessive amount of screen time affects a toddler’s food regimen is thru its impact on their sleep. For children and youths, adequate amount of sleep Is:
- 11–14 hours, including naps, for young children
- From 10 to 13 hours, including naps, for kids aged 3 to five years
- from 9 to 11 hours for kids aged 5 to 13
- eight to 10 hours for teenagers.
Research shows that a toddler’s ability to get adequate sleep depends on the time they spend in front of a screen. review of 67 studies 90% of the studies reviewed found that screen time is related to shorter and later sleep.
We need adequate amount of sleep regulate two essential hormones – ghrelin and leptin – that control our hunger and appetite. Sleeping lower than the advisable amount of sleep disrupts our appetite hormoneswhich causes an increased desire to eat.
This also results in a rise impulsive behavior linked to dietary selections that often end in reaching for foods high in sugar, fat and salt for fast gratification. So in case your child doesn’t get enough sleep, there’s probability they’ll use their power of nagging to satisfy their cravings for sweet, fatty and salty foods the following day.
Finally, more time spent indoors and searching at screens could mean less time spent being physically lively. Australian guidelines recommend children engage in not less than 60 minutes of heart-pounding physical activity per day (or not less than an hour of “vigorous play” for preschoolers). These 60 minutes don’t must be abruptly—they will be broken up into several shorter sessions throughout the day.
What can parents do?
Fortunately, there are some practical suggestions you possibly can follow to make sure your child has a healthy relationship with screens, in addition to ensuring they get enough sleep and are physically lively.
1. Set screen time rules
Consider your child’s age guidelines and set expectations for where, when, and how screens are used. Toddlers playing an academic game on a tablet within the family room could also be OK, while watching YouTube within the bedroom might not be OK.
Make mealtimes and the bedroom before bed screen-free zones. Involve your kids, especially teenagers, in the method to be certain that everyone follows the principles.
2. Spend time outdoors
Try to set regular time in your loved ones’s schedule for outdoor physical activity, whether it’s a each day visit to the park or a weekend sport. Making sure your child gets enough physical activity every day also supports their sleep and overall health.
As with establishing rules, involving your child in selecting an activity will make them more willing to participate.
3. Be a task model
Children closely observe and imitate their parents, so the perfect method to ensure your child has healthy screen time habits is to adopt them yourself. Have a screen time policy at home, including being attentive to distractions from infinite notifications.
4. Make your child’s room an oasis of peace and sleep
Providing your child with a quiet, comfortable and sufficiently dark bedroom is crucial for night’s sleep. This includes ensuring a snug temperature (18°C to 22°C). Keep toys and screens in other rooms so your child associates their bedroom with sleep time, not play time.