Yasmina Kattou 07:24, September 23, 2022
If social networks are used by everyone, the youngest and adolescents are particularly more exposed to the harmful effects of the latter.
In full construction, exposure to screens and social networks can have serious consequences on their mental health, warn professionals.
Almost 4h50 a day.
This is the average time that 15-17 year olds spend in front of a screen, often on social networks.
However, from 5 to 17 years old, it is recommended to spend less than 1h30 on your computer or laptop.
Seeing the lives of others on Facebook, Instagram or TikTok scroll by can have serious consequences for the mental health of young people, warn professionals.
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"These are children who, if their reputation is destroyed or damaged on a social network, will be extremely depressed. There is also body image. Indeed, because this tendency to idealization, to homogenization, can also do damage at ages when they are sensitive", explains Servane Mouton, neurologist, at the microphone of Europe 1.
Also pay attention to sedentary lifestyle
To connect to different networks, we often sit or lie down.
In the long term, a sedentary lifestyle has direct effects: "A sedentary lifestyle will promote the occurrence of heart attacks and screens are the main cause of sleep disorders today. Blue light gives the brain information that it is daytime in fact. And it will shift the time of falling asleep", underlines the neurologist.
To avoid effects on sleep, Servane Mouton recommends swapping the phone for a book, at least 1 hour before going to bed.