Using a smartphone for more than 4 hours could lead to a higher risk of mental health problems, says research

Smartphones have become an everyday part of our lives. According to a new study, long hours of cell phone use can lead to mental health problems and more.

Smartphones are so deeply entrenched in our lives that it becomes a challenge to do without them. However, too much of anything is bad. A study shows that adolescents who use smartphones for more than four hours a day are at greater risk for adverse mental health and substance use outcomes.

Previous research has shown that smartphone use among adolescents has increased in recent years and that this use may be associated with a higher risk of adverse health effects, such as psychiatric disorders, sleep problems, eye problems and musculoskeletal disorders.

To deepen the understanding of the relationship between adolescent smartphone use and health, the team at Hanyang University Medical Center in Korea analyzed data from more than 50,000 adolescent participants.

The data includes the estimated number of daily hours each participant spent on a smartphone, as well as various health measures.

The statistical analysis used propenity score matching to account for other factors that could be associated with health outcomes, such as age, gender and socioeconomic status.

Adolescents who used a smartphone more than four hours a day were more likely to suffer from stress, suicidal thoughts and substance use than those who used a smartphone less than four hours a day.

However, adolescents who used a smartphone for one to two hours a day experienced fewer problems than adolescents who did not use a smartphone at all, according to the findings published in the open access journal PLOS ONE.

The authors note that this study does not confirm a causal relationship between smartphone use and adverse health outcomes.

Nevertheless, the findings may help inform usage guidelines for adolescents, especially if daily use continues to rise.

“This study shows the impact of using smart devices for more than four hours a day on the health of adolescents,” said Jin-Hwa Moon and Jong Ho Cha from Hanyang.

“The adverse effects of smartphone overuse became prominent after four hours of daily use. These results can help establish guidelines for the use of smart devices and education programs for appropriate media use,” she added.