Keeping Kids Healthy And Sane In A Digital World – from Kaiser Health News
Smartphones, tablets and video consoles can be addictive. They interfere with sleep. They draw kids into an alternate universe, often distracting them from more productive — and healthier — real-world activities. And they are linked to anxiety and depression, learning disabilities and obesity.
That’s according to a growing body of research emphasizing the physical and psychological dangers of heavy screen use.
“Nobody should spend eight or nine hours doing anything except sleeping and working,” says Dr. Sina Safahieh, medical director of ASPIRE, the teen mental health program run by Hoag Hospital in Orange County, Calif.
Yet for many teenagers, mine included, cellphones and social media are also indispensable tools for planning their social lives, keeping up with schoolwork and staying in touch with out-of-town friends and relatives.
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This KHN story first published on California Healthline, a service of the California Health Care Foundation.
Taking charge of your health and making informed decisions are important steps toward successful and long-term well-being. In June, Health Net will offer a live call/webinar geared to help increase your awareness of all the wellness resources, tools and support you have available as a Health Net member. The Health Net’s Wellness Tools for Members and Prospective Members webinar can help you begin an active health-oriented routine and send you on your way to living a healthier life.
