Too Much Screen Time is SOOOO BAD FOR YOU, here's why

Added: 2026-05-22

[00:00:00]Hi everyone, family and friends. So, um each week I ask Sky, "Hey, during our home school program, what are some things that stood out to you that maybe you would want to share?" And so, this is one of them, and I thought it was very interesting. So, let's let Sky tell us more about it.

[00:00:17]So, there's a cell in our brain that's called dopamine. And basically, dopamine means like your simu- simulation. So, when you watch something, play games, or something like that, it gives you high dopamine, so you're overstimulated.

[00:00:37]And then, when like you have normal simulation or you know, you're just chill, that's like when you're reading a book, just being without any high dopamine things, like junk food, like you're eating junk food, um shows, movies, shorts, um Those are all dopamine things that are high in dopamine, right?

[00:01:01]>> Yeah, high in dopamine.

[00:01:03]So, >> addicting, right? Yeah. Yeah. And actually, um Okay.

[00:01:10]>> [laughter] >> So, that like when you start off your day with dopamine, you're laying in your bed, your alarm goes off, and then all of a sudden, you just start doom scrolling. That's really bad. And you expect to go to work and be productive.

[00:01:31]So, actually, studies prove that dopamine when you first thing in the morning, like you should do your responsibilities first.

[00:01:42]You should do all your chores, all your work, all your studying. And then later in the day, you can go ahead, do whatever dopamine.

[00:01:51]And Yeah, [laughter] do >> Yeah, do whatever stuff.

[00:01:55]>> Yeah, yeah, yeah, that does that. That's a good point, right? Like a lot of people wake up and the first thing they do is like check their Instagram or whatever. And what the study says is that you shouldn't be doing that, right?

[00:02:06]Because once you once you start that dopamine fix first thing in the morning, now your body wants more and more and more, right? Yeah, basically dopamine is motivate motivation.

[00:02:17]>> Mhm. So, when you you just kill your motivation when it's high, like cuz your body gets the satisfaction of finishing that easier short eating that yum yummy food. And so then when you go back to whatever you're doing that's hard, it's going to be way more harder and you'll probably just >> like doing the dishes or whatever, it's going to be hard for you to focus.

[00:02:44]>> more harder than >> Cuz it's boring and it doesn't have dopamine, right? Yeah.

[00:02:48]>> low dopamine. It doesn't give as much >> Yeah. out. Yeah.

[00:02:52]>> And then also, when you go to work, a lot of people, you know, let's say you're working for an hour and then you have a 15-minute break.

[00:03:04]Now, here's the important part.

[00:03:07]So, a lot of people, they tell them breaks as scrolling a million miles on shorts or eating some junk food.

[00:03:19]>> And then they go back to work trying thinking they'll focus better, but really they're um your brain resets after each thing, like after each completed task.

[00:03:32]>> Oh.

[00:03:32]>> So, after you watch a short, your brain resets, your brain resets, your brain resets. And so when you go back to your work, it takes way longer to get the satisfaction of being done.

[00:03:46]Oh, so it's harder to focus, right?

[00:03:49]>> to focus, yeah.

[00:03:50]>> Oh, that's interesting.

[00:03:51]>> So, it's The trick is not n- removing breaks. Like, the trick is not to have It is to have breaks. Just make sure it's smart. Look at the ceiling, stretch, walk, make tea, anything that just gives your brain a moment to breathe out.

[00:04:12]That's a good point. Yeah, I like that.

[00:04:15]And there's cuz there was a big study that they recently did on how were you losing white matter in our brains. And for us older people, we really need white matter. White matter is what helps you to think critically and to be able to focus and to be able to do the work that you need to get done to show self-control before you allow your brain to have all kind of dopamine through gaming or, you know, short like watching little videos and stuff like that, right? And so, if we want to keep our brains healthy and we want to not have dementia or Alzheimer's or all those really ugly diseases that come from losing white matter, then it's really important that we take the time to relax, right? How could would reading the their Bible help them?

[00:05:06]Yeah, reading the Bible, you get wisdom from there. And then also, you get white matter cuz it's words and you're reading it. Yeah, so it's like a workout for your brain. Not only is it good for your soul and makes God happy, but it's a workout for your brain. So, that was really cool, Skyler. I really I I appreciate you sharing that with us today. Is there anything else you want to say? Uh yeah, two things.

[00:05:31]>> Okay, let us know you guys speak into the microphone.

[00:05:34]>> whatever you start, always finish it.

[00:05:37]Because if you quit halfway, if you're doing a workout and you check your phone notification, your just your brain is like, "Oh, okay.

[00:05:48]I do get this is easier to do. I'm not going to complete this challenging task cuz your brain always to get dopamine it always goes to the easier. So, once you force yourself to do like finish the last rep or read 10 read 10 pages of the book. Just finish it. Then your brain learns self-discipline.

[00:06:11]>> Mhm.

[00:06:12]And also it kind of just if you keep on doing it your brain is getting used to like, "Okay, I'm going to stop talking about all this random stuff in my head and I'm just going to do it."

[00:06:26]Good.

[00:06:26]>> brain just gets used to that and then it doesn't make any excuses. Yes, wisdom from a 10-year-old. Thanks for sharing.

[00:06:34]And then also this is basically like Shabbat um a dopamine detox where you put everything junk food, net like all the sh- everything that you watch, all the stuff that gives high dopamine and just kind of move it. Yeah, she's talking about Sabbath, right? Where every Friday night we turn our phones off, we turn off all the electronics and we um keep them off for a 24-hour period and then we have a candlelit dinner. That's a good point.

[00:07:06]>> also dopamine detoxes like once after you do it then like you know on Sunday, don't get right back into it because then it'll just mess up your brain again.

[00:07:21]>> Yeah, so kind of take the weekend off to allow your brain to just be, right?

[00:07:26]Without the all the constant stimulation and then that'll help you build build back your white brain matter.

[00:07:34]Yeah, you can kind of slowly add the dopamine back. Just don't immediately 18 hours of video games, you know?

[00:07:42]>> Yeah, right.

[00:07:42]>> So, basically self-control, right? Which is what the Bible tells us that we all need more of. Well, thanks, Skyler. That was awesome. And we'll see you guys all on the next one. Bye.

[00:07:52]>> Bye. Or Shabbat Shalom.

[00:07:54]>> [laughter] >> Let faith be heard. [music] There's the promise of >> [music and singing] >> his word.

[00:08:06]Trust in him.

[00:08:09]Christ alone. This is keep God's word.