While we are quick to limit screen time for our children, parents can also benefit from setting boundaries for themselves.

In many households, screens are part of daily life, from work to entertainment.

But for parents, setting boundaries around screens isn’t just about kids. It’s also about modeling a balanced approach to screen use. Our research shows that parents who spend too much time on screens may be unconsciously encouraging similar habits in their children.

Excessive screen time in young children is associated with developmental delays in communication and problem solving. One explanation is that screen time takes away parent-child interactions that are important for development. This is often seen as a child’s screen time replacing these interactions.

However, frequent smartphone use by parents is associated with decreased responsiveness and attention to children, especially when screen time occurs during routines such as mealtimes.

Parents don’t have to ban screens to spend more time with their kids. When parents watch age-appropriate television with their children, it has a positive effect on literacy, perhaps because they can have conversations about the content of the program.

There are many things parents can do to foster healthier screen habits in their families through positive role modeling and thoughtful management.

Managing screen time is also important for parents’ own physical and mental health.

How sedentary screen time affects your health

Screen time often means sitting for long periods of time, which can have a negative impact on our physical and mental health.

Our research shows that sitting for long periods of time can impair blood sugar regulation, blood pressure, cerebral blood flow, and cognitive function.

But that doesn’t mean you should feel guilty every time you sit on the couch and watch some well-deserved Netflix.

Some of these effects can be counteracted by exercising before sitting for long periods of time, or by stopping every 30 minutes to do some light exercise. Ideally, you should do both.

You don’t even have to pause the TV for activity breaks. One study found that if you ditched a night spent sitting watching TV and did short bursts of bodyweight exercises (squats, calf raises, hip extensions) every 30 minutes, you could get 30 minutes more sleep. This is important because sleep boosts your immune system and helps maintain your physical and mental health.

Exercise and sleep help, but screen content is also important. Mentally passive screen use, such as scrolling through social media, is associated with increased risk of depression and dementia, whereas mentally active screen use (problem solving and work tasks) may actually protect you.

Almost two-thirds of parents believe they can reduce the amount of time they spend sitting and looking at screens, while the remaining third say they can replace passive screen time with mentally active screen time. There is another option.

Our eyes and brains need a break too

Our eyes and minds aren’t designed for constant screen time. Staring at a screen for too long can lead to dry eyes, headaches, and blurred vision, all symptoms of eye strain.

Screens also affect our brains. Research has shown that excessive and unregulated screen use is associated with cognitive deficits. Our brains need breaks to consolidate information and recharge. If you don’t take regular breaks, you risk cognitive burnout, which makes it difficult to stay productive, focus, and even manage your screen time.

What can you do?

The guidelines recommend that adults limit sedentary screen time for recreational purposes. But the message of simply “limiting your screen time” may not be helpful for many people, especially when screens are integrated into modern life.

Here are other ways to reduce the negative effects of excessive screen time.

Prevents eye strain from digital viewing. Follow the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes, rest your eyes by looking at something 20 feet (6 meters) away for 20 seconds. Move your body regularly. Exercise regularly, eliminate sedentary screen time with 30 minutes of activity, and improve your metabolism and cognitive function. Limit passive screen time. Try swapping some passive screen activity (doom scrolling) for something mentally engaging like a puzzle, creative project, or educational content. Modeling balanced screen use for children. This might mean watching educational shows together and discussing them.

Finally, you can’t solely blame a lack of self-control for poorly managing your screen time. The on-screen content is designed to engage both parents and children.

One parent reported that while playing the online game Roblox, her child would avoid going to the bathroom to the point of peeing himself because he didn’t want his character to die.

Many parents can relate to this, albeit with better bladder control. We’ve all experienced that catastrophic scrolling where time seems to disappear. And I can’t even remember what I saw.

If you’re currently at risk of catastrophic scrolling, one idea is to ask for tips on how to stop it. Consider taking a break by going for a walk. You’ll feel better.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.