Social media platforms, which are gaining popularity day by day with the increase in internet usage, have now become indispensable for many people. So much so that many of us now spend a significant part of our free time in such online media. Of course, this can also cause some negative consequences.
A study conducted at De Montfort University in the United Kingdom showed the frightening effect of social media on children. In the study, the researchers examined situations such as daily social media use of children under the age of 12 and its effect on sleep duration.
Kids are deprived of one day’s sleep a week due to social media
Almost 70% of the 60 children surveyed said they spend at least four or five hours a day on social media. Two-thirds of them said they used social media for two hours before sleep. It was also found in the study that 12.5% of children woke up at night to check their notifications.
These results revealed that excessive social media use can cause children under the age of 12 to lose sleep equivalent to one night’s sleep per week. In other words, children are deprived of sleep, which is of great importance for their development, due to such platforms. The head of the study, John Shaw, said that children of this age normally need 9 to 11 hours of sleep; however, he draws attention to the difference by stating that those in the study slept 8.7 hours.
Shaw added the following about the impact of social media on children: “The fear of ‘backing’ caused by social media directly affects children’s sleep. children; They want to know what their friends are doing, they want to be online when something happens.”
Additionally, the research revealed which platforms stood out among children. 90% of respondents said they use TikTok, 84% use Snapchat, and just over half use Instagram. It should be added that these data may vary from country to country.
Although the study is specific to the UK, it sort of summarizes the situation for most children in the world. This shows that parents, authorities and platforms should take the necessary measures to prevent excessive use of social media that is harmful to children.
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