Hello there! This is my last and final blog post for this semester on the inquiry question: “How does daily screen time affect the sleep quality of teenagers, and what factors can determine whether its effects are harmful or manageable?” In this blog post, I will reflect on my learning and answer a couple of questions!
Throughout this inquiry project, I have learned a lot of useful information about screen time and how it is intertwined with the quality of our sleep. I learned about how to work with screens as well, such as setting daily bedtime routines, healthy habits, wearing blue light glasses, and not having stimulating activities, such as gaming and constantly checking notifications.
a. What challenges did you overcome throughout this inquiry project? How did you go about
overcoming these challenges?
Some challenges that I had to overcome throughout this inquiry project were finding good, reliable sources to use, since I wanted to find accurate information that was true and factual. I overcame this challenge by using trusted sources such as health organizations, research articles, and educational websites. Another challenge was organizing information from multiple sources and deciding which information was the most relevant to my inquiry question. To overcome this, I took notes while I was researching, copied down important key ideas of each article, and focused on information that was directly connected to screen time and sleep quality in teenagers.
b. How did this inquiry change the way you think?
This inquiry and the research for it changed my perspective on screen time and how I can still use it responsibly. Before this project, I mostly thought of screen time as something bad, no matter what. However, I learned that the effects of screen time depend on many factors, including when screens are used, how long they are used, and what activities are being done. I also became much more aware of how screen use before bedtime can affect sleep quality and overall health. My research really helped me understand that technology itself isn’t actually bad; it’s just the ways we choose to use it may be harmful.
c. How did this investigation impact your future decisions?
This investigation will help me make better decisions about my own screen habits and control my screen time/habits. In the future, I will try to reduce screen use before bedtime, use features such as night mode when necessary, and maintain a consistent sleep schedule. I also want to be more mindful of how much time I spend on devices throughout the day, and with all the information I learned from this inquiry project, I hope to be able to improve my sleep quality and maintain a healthy balance between technology/screen use and daily life.
d. What impact will this investigation have on others locally and/or globally?
This investigation can help others be more aware of the relationship between screen time and sleep quality. Since technology is used by millions of teenagers all over the world, being able to understand how screen habits can affect sleep is very important both locally and globally. The information that I have found from my research may help or encourage students and individuals to develop healthier screen habits, prioritize and recognize the importance of sleep, and understand how good sleep can have a positive impact on our well-being.
Overall, this inquiry project has taught me lots of things, including that screen time does not automatically lead to poor sleep, but instead, the effect depends on how or why technology is used. Through my research, I have gained lots of great knowledge which I can apply to my own life and share with my friends and family. Overall, I had fun researching my inquiry questions on how daily screen time affects the sleep quality of teenagers, and the factors that can determine if the effects are harmful or manageable.
Thanks for reading!
