A lot of us spend a disproportionate amount of our day staring at some sort of screen. Maybe you work in an office and are focused on a computer screen for 8 hours a day or constantly checking your phone for the latest social media updates or playing games. Maybe you watch a lot of TV or play video games. The COVID-19 pandemic has only increased the amount time we spend in front of screens. People started and have continued working from home and attending meetings virtually. Kids had to transition to virtual learning and digital communication as the main way that they could communicate with their classmates and friends. As normal as this all may be now, it is more important than ever to be mindful of and try to limit your screen time.

On average, adults spend about 11 hours a day staring at some sort of screen. This means, almost half of every day is spent with your eyes locked on a screen. Screen time is a term used to describe any activity done in front of a screen such as watching TV, working on a computer, playing video games, texting on your phone, reading a book on a tablet, etc. Yes, screen time is a necessary part of the day for most, but too much screen time can have some harmful effects.

The more time you spend staring at a screen time, the more time you spend being physically inactive. Too much screen time can lead to a sedentary lifestyle which can increase your risk of obesity. You are also more prone to snack and eat more when watching TV. Since watching TV can be a somewhat mindless activity, you don’t realize how much you are eating and it can lead to an overconsumption of unhealthy foods. A sedentary lifestyle is also linked to heart disease and other chronic conditions. Time spent sitting at a desk or looking down at your phone can place strain on your neck, shoulders and back. When you are in these positions for prolonged periods of time, it can lead to more severe musculoskeletal issues. Staring at a screen also places strain on our eyes. It can cause fatigue and discomfort in our eyes. While looking at a screen we spend less time blinking which can lead to dryness in our eyes. All of this can also lead to headaches. Lights from screens also send signals to your brain to stay awake, so it can lead to difficulties falling asleep and insomnia.

Another harmful effect from too much screen time can come from the amount of time you spend on social media. People can develop addictive behaviors from the various social media platforms including thinking about their phone or social media accounts constantly, using the various apps to cope or modify their mood and experiencing withdrawal when being unable to access social media platforms. This is often called FOMO or “fear of missing out.” These things can have an impact on your mood and leave you more susceptible to anxiety or depression. A 2020 study found that people who have been diagnosed with smartphone addiction had problems with the part of their brain responsible for transmitting messages and poorer cognitive performance.

Excessive screen time, whether on a computer, phone, tablet or TV may potentially be detrimental to your mental and physical health. So how can we reverse the effects or at the very least, recover from the damage we imposed upon ourselves? Let’s start with limiting the time we spend using such technology throughout the day. Take note of your usage during the day and try to gain balance through exercise or social interaction. Additionally, you may want to take a break every few minutes from your screen to move around and stretch, as well as looking at something distant to gain more control of your vision. Practice better posture as well to avoid arching your back and developing back issues. Finally, avoid screens for the final hour of your day. Focusing on a screen will allow for the backlight of your screen to invade and compromise the quality of your sleep.

After an extended year of nearly only screen time, we need to pause and understand the impact that staring at our phones has on our health, both physically and mentally. Even though we have to use screens most of our day, we must remain cognizant of the dangers and take precautions to protect our health.  These precautions can include taking time to get physical exercise, take breaks from your screen, turn off electronics at least one hour before bed-time, make an effort to look up and focus in the distance allowing your eyes to reset, and blink.