Experts recommend regular breaks from screens to reduce impact on mental health

Average screen usage of more than six hours a day is considered excessive and can lead to stress, anxiety, sleep disruption, and reduced social interaction, experts said at a webinar organised by The Hindu on Saturday (April 25, 2026).

At the webinar titled ‘Impact of Screen Time on the Mental Health of Adults and Children’, Maria Antony, consultant psychiatrist at Sri Mamallan Hospital, Kancheepuram, and Ashwini Tadpatrikar, assistant professor of psychology at Vidyashilp University, Bengaluru, discussed the psychological and behavioural effects of excessive digital exposure.