Effects of Online Learning on Students Health

 As the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic rapidly spread across the country, schools have shut their doors and classes have moved online in order to slow the spread. The transition to online learning has impacted not only teachers, who have had to amend their courses, but also students who have had to adjust to a new learning environment.

While some school and college students are thrilled about staying home, and ‘going to’ their respective institutions from the comforts of their home, not all students and their parents are so happy about it. Problems with internet connections and shortage of gadgets notwithstanding, incorrect posture might lead to physical health issues, warn experts. However, for parents worried about their child’s mental health while doing online study.

One of the major consequences of the transition to online learning is its impact on student health, specifically sleep habits. Students in different time zones than their institutions are now sacrificing sleep to wake up for classes on Zoom, Meet. Sleep deprivation causes deficits in the prefrontal cortex, which normally keeps our amygdala, the emotional and impulse region of the brain, in check.

Virtual learning has inevitably increased the amount of time students spend on digital devices everyday. Prateek is a student of Deewan Public School from India. He noted that online learning has resulted in a significant increase in his personal electronic use.

“I spend around eight to 10 more hours on my laptop on a weekly basis because of the switch to remote instruction,” he said.

Director of the HAZE Institute of Computer Education Ms. Aruna Sharma expressed her concern that digital learning will disrupt student sleep.

“The risk is that the technology becomes all-consuming and, as a teacher, I worry most about the potential negative effect on students’ health,” she said.

In addition to adverse health impacts from altered sleep cycles, increased digital use can affect student’s physical and mental health. Ms. Aruna Sharma, Director of the HAZE Institute of Computer Education, has observed the impact of remote learning on children of all ages.

Ms Aruna Sharma explained that college students in particular are struggling to create an environment free of distractions and develop the necessary organizational skills to stay on top of their assignments, noting that these difficulties can affect students’ mental health.

“Increased screen time usage, especially for non-academic activities, has been found to be linked with increase in depression, anxiety and perceived attention problems,” Ms Aruna Sharma said.

Ms Aruna Sharma explained that increased screen time can have a negative impact on students body.

When asked what students should do to maintain their health while learning remotely,  Ms Aruna Sharma the importance of getting adequate sleep. They noted that young adults should seek to sleep for seven to nine hours each night & offered tips on how to decompress before bed to encourage rest.

“Be sure to turn off your electronics and do something relaxing the hour before bed — read a book, listen to music,” Ms Aruna Sharma said.

Online learning has also affected the physical activity levels of students. Not walking between classes has made some students stationary for hours on end in front of their computers. Prateek expressed that he wishes he could be active, like he was on campus.

“I really do miss the walks, and just sitting at my laptop makes me feel extremely sluggish and lazy,” Prateek said.

Ms Aruna Sharma and Prateek both recommend staying physically active and eating healthy during remote learning. While this transition has posed many challenges, they both recommend that students prioritize their health and sleep.