How Does Screen Time Affect Society

As of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, the internet, together with the many devices used for access to the internet, have grown to be a major part of the American lifestyle. The internet and screen time now have a major impact on the way that Americans perform daily tasks. Screen time is the time spent on visual media (“The Impact of Media”). Although these technological advancements have enhanced American society, this information age has also derailed certain aspects of society. “ This interference has a detrimental impact on a person’s cognition and behavior in daily activities. It impacts every level of our thinking, from our perceptions, decision making, communication, emotional regulation, and our memories”(Gazzaley, Rosen 4-5). Specifically, too much screen time adversely affects …show more content…
During daytime we are exposed to more blue wavelength light (Gazzaley, Rosen 138). This blue light causes our body to release more cortisol which makes us alert (Gazzaley, Rosen 138). At night, there is more red wavelength light, which causes our body to release melatonin which helps us go to sleep (Gazzaley, Rosen 138). When screens emit white light they also emit blue light. When a person uses screens around bedtime he or she will become more stimulated, finding it harder to fall asleep. Another factor affecting sleep occurs when teens sleep near their phones as they can be woken up by texts and alerts during the night (Gazzaley, Rosen 139). Lack of sleep will affect a teen’s physical growth rate (Gazzaley, Rosen 139). Also, when teens are tired they are more inclined to feel lazy and apathetic about physical activities and may be more likely to sit and engage in more screen time. Finally, with a lack of sleep the brain is not able to perform its “housekeeping chores” which will have a damaging effect on the brain (Gazzaley, Rosen 138).The brain can impact the sociality of a