Gen Z screen time tops five hours daily, survey

A survey commissioned by PlayersTime suggests heavy social media use and prolonged screen time have become deeply embedded in the daily routines of younger consumers, with Gen Z respondents reporting the highest levels of phone usage, social media dependency and digital fatigue.

The online survey, conducted in April among 1,509 adults primarily from North America and Europe, examined attitudes toward internet use, social media habits and AI-generated content. According to the findings, 93 percent of Gen Z respondents said they spend at least five hours per day on their phones.

Survey points to rising screen dependency

The research found that 77.9 percent of all respondents spend five hours or more online every day. Among Gen Z participants aged 18 to 29, 16.35 percent reported spending 11 hours or more on their phones daily.

Social media dependency was also significantly higher among younger respondents. Around 74 percent of Gen Z participants said they feel addicted to social media platforms, compared with 44.13 percent of Millennials and 18.5 percent of Generation X respondents.

The survey also found gender differences in responses. Among women under 30, 79.5 percent said they feel addicted to social media, compared with 70.1 percent of men in the same age group. Across all age categories, 61.15 percent of women identified social media addiction as an issue, compared with 40.55 percent of men.

Long hours online linked to exhaustion

PlayersTime’s findings suggest prolonged online activity is contributing to mental and physical strain for many respondents.

More than 54 percent said they engage in doomscrolling every day or several times daily, with many reporting feelings of anxiety, overwhelm or emotional exhaustion afterwards.

Among all participants:

64.4 percent said extended phone use leaves them feeling exhausted

56.5 percent reported burnout and difficulty concentrating

39.5 percent experienced sleepiness and lethargy

37.8 percent cited dry eyes and headaches

The survey also found that 82 percent of respondents check their phones within five minutes of waking up, while 70.3 percent spend at least 15 minutes on their phones before sleeping to keep up with current events.

Distrust grows around AI-generated content

Despite relying heavily on digital platforms for information and entertainment, respondents expressed growing scepticism toward AI-generated content.

According to the survey, 64 percent said they dislike AI-generated videos, images or other content because it feels deceptive. Another 20.7 percent reported feeling frustrated by AI-created content, while 10.4 percent said it makes them worried. Only 4.5 percent said they were comfortable with AI-generated media.

Aleksandra Dimitrova, Data Analyst and author at PlayersTime: “Spending five or more hours a day on social media is no longer an occasional habit. It is a sustained level of exposure that is already reshaping how Gen Z thinks, feels, and functions. At this intensity, digital consumption disrupts sleep cycles, shortens attention spans, and drives cognitive fatigue. Prolonged scrolling, particularly of negative or high-stimulation content, reinforces anxiety loops, elevates stress, and is increasingly linked to physical symptoms including exhaustion and persistent headaches.”

Aleksandra Dimitrova: “What makes this more than a passing concern is the permanence of the pattern. For many in Gen Z, this is not a phase but a daily routine repeated over years, one that is quietly influencing how they process information, regulate emotions, and perceive themselves. Constant connectivity has moved beyond being a feature of modern life. It is actively rewriting behaviour, mindset, and long-term health outcomes in real time, consequences the world is only beginning to reckon with.”

The full report can be accessed here

www.playerstime.com

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