“I need to get a life” — Singaporeans say they’re glued to internet-connected screens for over 10-16 hours/day

SINGAPORE: One Singaporean revealed spending 7 hours on screen daily, prompting others to chime in with their own screen time habits.

He confessed to spending 2.5 hours on Reddit, 1.5 hours on a mix of TikTok and Instagram, 1 hour on YouTube, another hour on general internet browsing, and half an hour each on messaging and spending time on other apps.

This sparked discussions about screen time habits, revealing some staggering numbers.

One user pointed out that he allocates around 2 hours to gaming. Meanwhile, one user noted that she spends 3 hours a day on screen as she’s currently job hunting.

However, not everyone’s habits are as moderate. Some admitted to spending 10 hours glued to their screens daily, mainly indulging in TikTok, Instagram, and Netflix. Another shared, “12-14 hours. I need to get a life.”

The most extreme case revealed a staggering 16 hours of screen time per day, confessing to spending 7 hours on Reddit and YouTube, 2 hours on TikTok and Instagram, and another 7 hours gaming.

As screen time has become integral to everyday life, many may not be fully aware of how much they engage with screens.

According to insights from Exploding Topics’ article, Alarming Average Screen Time Statistics (2024), globally, people average 6 hours and 58 minutes of screen time per day.

It also revealed that individuals spend over 40% of their waking hours on internet-connected screens.

The report ranks Singapore 18th among the 20 most active screen time users, with an average total screen time of 7 hours and 28 minutes.

Excessive screen time has been associated with various adverse health effects, including sleep deprivation, obesity, susceptibility to Type 2 Diabetes, and learning delays in young children.

Studies have shown that limiting social media use to a maximum of 30 minutes per day can lead to reduced depression and improved well-being. /TISG

Read also: Is screen addiction real? How can you help kids “focus on their life in the present?”

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