Answer:
Students are more connected than ever before through social media, especially during these difficult times, when they are physically distanced from their family, friends, and peers. While social media provides many benefits, such as giving students the chance to express themselves creatively, learning opportunities, and the chance to connect with others, social media can also have a negative impact on students, both physically and mentally. It is easy to become addicted, and research shows that students who spend too much time on social media can suffer from poor sleep, eye fatigue, negative body image, depression, anxiety, cyberbullying, and more. In addition to the benefits of classroom learning social media provides through sites like YouTube, social media helps students access mental health and well being information, which can be hard to do offline without stigma. Social media can be incredibly addictive - we all know what it feels like to tell ourselves we'll only check our notifications, and before we know it, we've been mindlessly scrolling for hours. Using devices can have an especially detrimental effect if done near bedtime, as the blue light emanating from our devices tricks our bodies into thinking it's still daylight outside, which upsets our natural rhythms.
