At a glance
- Digital behaviors can influence many aspects of health, including sleep, physical activity, nutrition, safety, and mental well-being.
- Digital media and technology play a major role in the daily lives of adolescents, helping them connect with others, learn, and access information.
- At the same time, some digital behaviors can affect adolescents' health and safety.
Overview
Most teens use digital media and technology for schoolwork, social connection, and entertainment every day. Used thoughtfully, digital tools support learning and help teens stay in touch with friends and family. But heavy or poorly timed screen use, especially late at night or in place of sleep, physical activity, and in-person connection, is linked to a range of health concerns, including disrupted sleep, lower mood, reduced physical activity, and difficulty concentrating in school.
By the numbers
According to national Youth Risk Behavior Survey data from 2025:
- Approximately 1 in 3 high school students used social media every hour or more.
- Nearly 1 in 2 high school students texted or emailed while driving a car during the past 30 days.
Recommendations
Rather than setting a guideline for specific time limits on digital media use, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends considering the quality of interactions with digital media and not just the quantity, or amount of time, since it can be beneficial for learning and connecting.
Strategies to promote healthy digital behaviors
Families, communities, and schools play an important role in helping students develop the skills to use digital technologies in safe, healthy, and responsible ways.
Families can consider:
- Modeling healthy digital behaviors, including limiting screen time.
- Storing devices in rooms other than bedrooms.
- Establishing family rules for permissible online behaviors, including what types of sites are acceptable.
Schools can consider:
- Educating students about technology and artificial intelligence (AI). Students can learn how to identify trustworthy information, recognize potentially harmful content, and make informed decisions.
- Teaching students how to manage screen time and protect their privacy.
- Reducing distractions from digital devices during the school day by:
- Setting clear policies on device use.
- Providing high-quality digital content and learning experiences that enhance learning and engagement when technology is used in classrooms.
- Creating opportunities for students to spend time away from screens, such as device-free times and spaces during the school day and extracurricular activities that encourage in-person interaction and engagement.
This page was last updated on this date. Updates may include minor edits, image changes, or other modifications to page content.
The information on this page was last reviewed by subject matter experts to ensure accuracy.