In this age of technology, kids younger and younger are spending a lot of time on computers, iPads, and phones. They even use technology in school and for studying at home. There are a lot of educational websites and apps that are great tools for enhancing your child’s learning. However, spending a lot of time in front of a screen, especially when it gets dark, can have a harmful effect on your child’s health.
Kids staring at a screen won’t lead to glasses
A common myth is that if a child spends too much time in front of a screen, their eyes will be damaged and they will need glasses eventually. This is false! As explained in a video by DNews, computers and other screens cannot permanently damage the eyes. However, staring at a screen can cause eyestrain, headaches, and a few other minor symptoms. Encourage your children to take a break from studying on a screen every twenty minutes or so. One good thing to do is to try focusing on something far away (10 meters or more), as it will give your kid’s eyes a break. Plus, taking a study break can actually improve your child’s creativity, so it’s a win-win situation.
Kids staring at a screen can lead to trouble sleeping
A lot of students have late night tendencies, and have trouble waking up in the morning. But is this just because they are able to focus better on their studies at night, and stay up late because of it? According to Harvard Health, although teenagers naturally feel more awake later at night, staring at a screen before bedtime will push off their sleepiness even later. This is because teenagers are extremely sensitive to what is called blue light. The blue light in screens mimics sunlight, and causes low melatonin levels. This is why many teenagers might not be getting a very good sleep or have trouble waking up in the morning. They are on their phones right up until they go to sleep!
How to avoid blue light
Sometimes, studying at night is unavoidable. If your child needs to use the computer before bed, try having them use an app like f.lux. This app is actually meant to reduce blue light colours on screens after the sun goes down. This will help your child’s body know when it’s time to go to bed.
Taking breaks from staring at a screen, limiting blue light, and limiting screen time after dark will all help your child’s eye health. Plus, it will help them get a better sleep at night! So follow these tips to still study smart, but keep track of health while doing so.
