Short-Form Videos Disrupt Kids' Sleep, Focus, and Development

• Short-form videos like TikTok and Instagram Reels are a constant presence for children, encouraging rapid scrolling and potentially leading to problematic use affecting sleep, mood, attention, and relationships.
• The design of these videos, engineered for novelty, can weaken impulse control and sustained focus, with studies linking heavy use to reduced inhibitory control and attention spans.
• Short-form video use disrupts sleep by delaying melatonin release and making it hard for the brain to settle, impacting mood, resilience, and memory.
• Younger children are highly susceptible to inappropriate content due to instant appearance, lack of context, and less mature self-regulation, potentially amplifying comparison and anxiety.
• Constant engagement with short-form content reduces unstructured time, hindering the development of self-soothing and internal focus skills in children.

Why It Matters: Short-form videos severely impact children's development, sleep, and mental health.