PREVALENCE OF HEADACHE, INSOMNIA, AND COGNITIVE DISORDERS RELATED TO SCREEN TIME

Abstract

The increase in exposure time to the screens of electronic devices has raised concerns about their impact on health, particularly in relation to conditions such as headache, insomnia and cognitive disorders. This integrative review sought to analyze the prevalence of these conditions associated with screen time, focusing on studies published between 2010 and 2025. The search was carried out in the PubMed, Google Scholar and Scopus databases, including clinical, epidemiological and review articles. The results indicate that excessive exposure to screen time is significantly associated with increased prevalence of headache, insomnia, and cognitive deficits, especially in children, adolescents, and young adults. Headache, in particular, has been observed in a significant part of the population, with a higher prevalence among young people. Insomnia, often associated with exposure to blue light emitted by screens at night, is also a worrisome condition, affecting sleep quality and, consequently, overall health. In addition, cognitive disorders, such as difficulties with memory, attention, and concentration, have been reported in individuals with long periods of use of digital devices. In the long term, increased screen time can aggravate these symptoms, negatively impacting quality of life and contributing to the development of mental illness. However, the studies also point to the need for more research to establish a clear causal relationship between screen time and these disorders. The review discusses the implications of these findings for public health and possible prevention and intervention strategies, such as the promotion of healthy digital use habits.