Charlotte, NC – Screens are everywhere now. They were everywhere before coronavirus but with social distancing in place, we are in front of screens even more.

Most children will be attending school remotely with more screen time every day than ever. Many of us are working remotely in front of screens all day as well.

Social media use is up due to increased screen time and it’s how most of us are connecting with friends and loved ones now too.

However, increased screen time and social media time is connected to higher rates of depression in children and adults alike.

Your mental health can suffer from being on social media and in front of screens alone, but combined with a world of uncertainty and social distancing, it’s a lot to be dealing with.

Don’t forget to take care of yourself. Take frequent breaks set to a timer, not to getting a certain amount of work done. Your brain and your body will need it in order to get all of the work done. Bonus points if you can get outside for some fresh air during those breaks.

If you can’t get outside, get up and stretch, drink some water, listen to some music and dance around. When you are at a screen, be sure to look at some pictures of green spaces, it’s shown to help lower stress levels.

Above all, remember to take care of yourself first.