We live in a world that is ruled by technology. In this age of information, it is almost impossible to stay away from a screen, be it your mobile device or your computer. These screens are our connection to the world. When we are at work, we are staring into our computer, typing away or doing our tasks. When we come home, we are glued to our mobile device in search of entertainment until we finally fall asleep with the blue light hitting our faces. The normalization of technology is a great thing, it has improved our lives vastly, but it also has a few drawbacks which are often ignored. In this article, we will discuss the benefits that you can reap by cutting back on your screen time and how your screen time might have a negative impact on your life. Let’s get into it.
- Your eyesight – If you stop to think about it then a major portion of our day when we are awake is spent looking into digital screens. We spend most of our time on our phones, computers or televisions. All of this puts a strain on our eyes. When we look into a screen for extended periods of time, we are increasing the strain that our eyes have to bear, and eventually, this habit starts to have a negative impact on our eyesight. There are several eyesight related issues that arise from excessive screen time. Your eyesight gets worse. You can get CVS (computer vision syndrome). It is only natural that when you are spending 8-10 hours daily looking at digital screens, your eyesight is going to suffer. Eye fatigue is the most common outcome here. It can cause double vision, concentration problems and headaches. Other related problems include irritated and dry eyes; this happens because we tend to blink less when we are looking at a screen which causes our eyes to become dry. Nearsightedness is also a major eyesight related problem that can result from excessive screen time. If you are looking at a screen, then the chances are that you are indoors. Daylight is very important for the health of our eyes since we spend most of our time staring into screens, we get less sunlight which can cause nearsightedness. Our eyes are one of the most important organs in our body, and they can benefit from reduced screen time.
- Increased focus – You will have trouble focusing on the task you are doing after a long spell of screen time. This is because excessive screen time affects our cognitive abilities which lead to shorter attention spans and difficulty focusing. This problem is most prevalent at work. When you are constantly staring at a computer screen for hours on end chances are that you are going to tire your brain and lower your productivity. It is highly recommended to take regular breaks to reduce constant screen time. It is a good idea to take a 5-minute break from your computer screen every 45 minutes of work. You can focus on other activities that do not require you to look at your computer. This gives your brain a much-needed break and refreshes it. This way, you can stay productive longer and be more focused on your work. Constant abuse of screen time has a longer-lasting effect on our cognitive abilities as well. Some studies have also suggested that excessive screen time is linked to aggression and mood swings. So, less screen time is beneficial for staying productive and keeping your focus.
- Your sleep – If you are suffering from a disrupted sleep cycle and find yourself having difficulty falling asleep on time, then cutting back on your screen, time might be a good idea. Digital screens emit blue light. This blue light affects the melatonin levels in our body. Melatonin is a hormone that is responsible for maintaining our sleep cycle. This is how your screen time might be causing insomnia for you. Cutting back on your screen time, especially when you are in bed is a great way to improve your sleep quality and cycle. You see when we are watching something on a screen, our mind gets stimulated and sleep goes away. Cutting back on your screen time will help you maintain healthy levels of melatonin in your body. You will get better sleep quality, and your sleep cycle will be more regular. Our sleep cycle indicates how our day is going to go for the most part. If you wake up from a good night's sleep, then your mind is going to be fresh, and you will be able to be more productive and focused on your tasks for the day. Less screen time means better sleep.
- More time – One of the most underrated problems that are associated with screen time is well... time. When you are binge-watching a show or watching random videos of YouTube, you are spending valuable time that you could have utilized for something more productive otherwise. And the thing is that when you are in front of a screen, time seems to fly and you find yourself tired to do anything else. By cutting back on your screen time, you will find yourself more motivated to do other things. Maybe you have gained a few extra pounds and need to start working out but never seem to find the time to do it. Well, how about you cut back on your screen time and see if you feel more motivated to do it. Cutting back on the time you spend in front of a screen will open up your schedule and give you more time and energy to do more productive things.
It is nearly impossible to stay away from a screen in this day and age, but we can still cut back on our screen time to improve the quality of our lives and avoid the negative effects that it might be having on us. We hope that you find this article helpful. Best of luck!
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