Social media use can affect children’s studies, sleep and mood; psychiatrist explains how

New Delhi: Social media is now woven into children’s daily routines, but prolonged digital engagement can affect more than the time they spend online. Frequent notifications, multitasking during study hours and late-night screen use can interfere with concentration, sleep and emotional wellbeing. Dr Preeti Patil, Senior Consultant – Psychiatry, KIMS Hospitals, Electronic City, Bengaluru, in communication with News9 Digital, explains how excessive social media use can affect children’s attention, sleep and mood, and why healthier digital boundaries are important.

How social media affects children

Constant digital interruptions can make it difficult for children to concentrate on studies and complete tasks effectively. Dr Patil says studies indicate that excessive social media use “lowers children’s attention span” and can contribute to poor academic performance.

The effects can also extend to sleep, memory and emotional wellbeing. Excessive scrolling may contribute to “sleep, memory loss, tiredness, reduced physical activity, mood disturbances”, along with increased anger and irritability.

Social media can also reduce opportunities for face-to-face interaction with family and friends. Comparing themselves with others online and connecting self-worth with popularity or responses on social platforms may further affect children’s emotional wellbeing and ability to focus in class.

How screen light can affect sleep

Night-time screen exposure can interfere with the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle. Light from phones, tablets, computers and televisions reaches the retina, where specialised light-sensitive cells respond particularly to short-wavelength blue light.

Dr Patil explained that the circadian system receives this light signal through melanopsin-containing intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs). These cells are particularly sensitive to short-wavelength light, with peak sensitivity around 480 nm, and transmit signals to the brain’s circadian clock.

Evening exposure to such light can suppress melatonin, the hormone involved in preparing the body for sleep, potentially delaying sleep timing. Regular exposure to bright screens close to bedtime can therefore affect sleep quality.

However, the impact is not identical for everyone. Screen brightness, duration of exposure, distance from the device and individual sensitivity can influence how strongly evening light affects the sleep system.

Reducing screen use during the hour before bedtime, lowering screen brightness in the evening and keeping devices away from the face can help minimise exposure and support healthier sleep patterns.

What parents and schools can do

Dr Patil stresses that technology itself should not be treated as the problem. Instead, children need guidance to develop healthier digital habits from an early age.

Parents can communicate openly with children and establish “screen-free hours” during study and meal times and before bedtime. Encouraging regular physical activity can also help reduce excessive sedentary screen use.

Schools and teachers can reinforce these habits by helping children understand responsible digital use. According to Dr Patil, social media can make “communication and learning more effective” when used prudently, but excessive use can negatively affect children’s overall growth and development.