Pediatrician says screen time impacts sleep

Is video games or TV taking up a large part of your day? We talked to a local pediatrician who says screen time has a big impact on your sleep.

One popular video game that kids have been playing is called Fortnite. It’s a free online game where kids can interact with each other.

"Okay I’ve done all my homework, I’ve lifted for the day, I’ve done all this.. Now what else do I do? I’ll just sit down and play Fortnite with my friends," said Swazy Dalrymple.

Swazy, a college student, says he has been playing video games for a majority of his life and never had an issue. For some people, managing your child’s sleep schedule can be difficult, especially as they transition back to school.

Dr. Philip Boucher is a pediatrician at Lincoln Pediatric Group. He said the questions parents most frequently ask him is whether Fortnite is safe to play and what should they do if there child becomes obsessed.

"It’s the lack of self-control, and teens are learning I can just be in this environment, I can play, I can have ongoing excitement and enjoyment with this game 24/7 and check out from the real world," said Boucher.

Many say if you manage your time wisely, the impact isn’t as high.

"There’s much bigger things to be worrying about then how long someone sits and plays a video game. Some people could argue that you could be doing better things with your time, but at the same time.. I’ve won money playing Fortnite before so it’s all about how you use your time and how you use it effectively," said Dalrymple.

Boucher recommends keeping your children occupied ideally an hour before bed with other activities such as reading, coloring or anything that is calming.

"I think we have to have times where everyone puts there screens away, we sit down at the dinner table, every ones phones are on silent and in different rooms so that we are getting the chance to connect as a family, to recharge, to hear about each others day and just to support each other," said Boucher.