Aim: The science of today is the technology of tomorrow. The 21st century has witnessed a great development in the field of technology. Whether we love it or loathe it, technology affects everything we do today and influences almost everything we plan for our tomorrow. It has advanced everywhere making people access various types of devices. Sleep is fundamental to optimal functioning including health and behavior. This paper describes the interrelations between sleep and screen use. The purpose of this study was to identify technology use hence exploring the screen time of the individual and its impact on sleep and the mediating effect of physical exercise. Method: A representative sample of 150 Physiotherapy students was surveyed using an online questionnaire to analyze their technology use and sleep patterns. Results: A total number of 150 completed forms were analyzed. 94.7% students screen time use had increased during the lockdown. 43.3% of student participants spent more than 6 hours on digital devices on a daily basis. 73.3% of the population agreed that screen time did affect their sleeping pattern in the lockdown. 64% students encountered sleeping problems. 52% people admitted that excessive screen use has affected their sleep quality. 65.3% of the students have been taking part in physical exercises regularly, out of which 65.27 % reported decreased sleeping complaints. Conclusion: This study shows that use of screen based digital devices and media use has significantly increased during COVID-19 pandemic lock down in Physiotherapy students and provides scientific evidence for its negative impact on sleep. Physical exercises were associated with a positive effect on sleep disorders.

Background: Every year millions of older people experience a fall. There are many reasons associated as to why a fall occurs in elderly: musculoskeletal weakness, balance issues etc. A fall can lead to a serious injury or mortality depending on the type and impact of the fall. As the environment for the elderly was restricted to their homes during the Covid-19 pandemic, this study aimed at assessing the characteristics of falls during the pandemic. Materials and methods: 60 elderly individuals aging 60 years and above participated in the study. This included 36.7% males and 63.3% females. A pre-validated questionnaire was used to assess the characteristics of falls. Result: Fear of fall was not experienced or was same as before the lockdown however the fall percentage decreased by 7% during the lockdown. Conclusion: Falls among the elderly decreased during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown.

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced children to spend increased amounts of time at home resulting in adverse effects on their physical and psychosocial wellbeing. Parents need to be aware about the changes in the mental and physical health of the children. Objectives: To identify the physical and mental health problems the children are facing because of the lockdown and to assess the awareness of such problems amongst the parents. Design: A cross sectional online survey was conducted to assess the impact of COVID-19 on physical and mental health of the children from parents' perspectives. Setting: Mumbai, Maharashtra, India Main Outcome Measure: Parent reported questionnaire. Results and conclusion: There were a significant increase in the number of hours spent on mobile phones, sitting, and sleeping during the lockdown as compared to before the lockdown whereas the number of hours spent on physical activity significantly decreased and also impacted their mental health. By taking part in the survey, the parents of the children became aware of the changes occurring in their child. These findings can guide immediate programmatic and policy efforts to preserve and promote child health during the COVID-19 outbreak and crisis recovery period, and to inform strategies to mitigate potential harm during future pandemics.

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