Lack of sleep is making youngsters obese and depressed. A study by Assocham conducted in the age group of 10-18 years shows that children spend over eight hours a day playing video games, browsing the Internet, sending texts and watching TV.
It’s not shocking that text messaging has emerged as the most preferred form of communication, much more than interacting on social networking sites or even face to face.
Psychologist Dr Geetanjali Kumar says, “Most kids today are restless, irritated, are unable to concentrate, show withdrawal symptoms, due to spending time over gadgets and their cellphones. It’s a vicious circle that begins with curiosity with an object and soon turns into addiction. Whether it’s video game, or SMSing, it should not dominate your life.”
Even with parents keeping a close watch on their kids, it’s not proving to be of any help. Agrees 19-year-old Akshay, “SMSing is an addiction and I am no different. Today all mobile phone networks are offering aplenty free SMS schemes. With so much happening, why not make the most of it? Even though my parents expect me to sleep by midnight, I am awake till 2 am at least catching up with friends.”
Interestingly, this addiction is not just restricted to teens. For young professional Hussain, 24, his PS3 is all he needs once he’s home from work. “I love to spend time playing games and can play non-stop for over six hours. In fact, a night before my weekly off, I am up till 5 in the morning. I let all the steam out playing games.”