Thirty years ago, we could not have imagined how many screens were about to take over our lives. In today’s society, we use screens for everything, but how can this impact our health? This article will look at how we use screens, the impact screens can have on your eyesight and overall health, and what you can do about it. Read on to find out more about the interesting link between the two.
Too much screen use throughout the day: how do people use devices?
Simply put, screens are everywhere these days. At work or school, you will be using a laptop to get things done, and during your commute, you are probably reading the news or messaging on your phone. Even once you get home, you may be texting and browsing the web on your phone or tablet, or even reading on an e-reader, while watching TV. And all of this screen time can have an impact on your health more than you think:
- It can impact your sleeping pattern
There are some studies that suggest that increased use of screens can cause you to suffer from disrupted sleep. While much of this research is based around how this impacts the younger generation, it is fair to say that adults can also spend too much time looking at short videos on social media or messaging friends well into the night. Not only that but using screens just before bedtime can interfere with melatonin production – otherwise known as the sleep hormone.
- People are not as active as they could be
Sitting for too long is thought to cause a host of health problems, from an increased risk of heart disease to problems with weight management. According to the NHS website, there are many reasons why we should sit less and they recommend that it’s best to exercise on a regular basis, reduce sitting time, and do at least 150 minutes of exercise a week. Screens rarely encourage you to get up and get moving, so simply by sitting and using a screen at all hours of the day, you could be impacting your health in ways you may not think about. Simply putting down devices for a while and taking a walk outside for some fresh air can help to improve your lifestyle when done on a regular basis.
- Eyesight can be impacted by it
Perhaps the main issue with using screens too much is the effect this can have on your eyesight. Your eyes are precious and also delicate, and increased screen usage has been linked to the deterioration of eyesight. Digital eye strain is becoming more and more common in both adults and children, as using screens constantly causes our eyes to have to work harder. Another common culprit when it comes to the impact screens have on eyesight is blue light. The blue light emitted from screens can increase eye strain and even lead to myopia, with this being much more common than it used to be. This speeds up the deterioration of your eyesight and can lead to needing to wear glasses more regularly, headaches due to eyestrain, and dry and itchy eyes.
How to look after your health in 2022
There might come a certain time in someone’s life when they take eye health more seriously and start looking after them a bit better. People might decide to reduce their screen time or take regular breaks from their computers at work. Or they may decide to improve their overall eyesight in the long term by seeking out vision correction specialists like Ultralase.com if they would like advice on laser eye surgery or lens surgery.
Taking care of your eyes is more important than ever in our digital age, and this means doing more than going for regular eye tests too. Keeping active overall can also help – you will naturally spend less time looking at a screen, and help your body and eyes by moving and avoiding technology for a little while. Making rules to avoid being on your phone in bed, after a certain time at night, or at the dinner table can let us take a well-needed break from screens. Many smartphones now have the capability of screen time limits so users can start to control how much screen time they want to have in a single day.
As you can see, there are many impacts of too much screen time, from distraction and a lack of sleep to negatively impacting your eyesight. By reducing screen time over a while, gradually people’s bodies can adjust to be able to get more sleep, be more active than sedentary, and give eyes a rest – with the hopes of improving overall physical health in the long run.
