Negative Effects of Screen Overuse

With the Covid-19 Pandemic affecting everyone worldwide, many people had to continue working from home over video communication. Combined with fast developing technology becoming more and more prevalent in our lives, large amounts of our day is spent staring at bright screens. The increase in hours looking at devices could be harmful to your eyes, your posture, and your social skills. Limiting screen time can help stop their deterioration.

The intense light from screens causes you to subconsciously reduce blinking when you are looking at them. This can lead to dry eyes, headaches, and eye pain. Vision can also become blurred over extreme lengths of computer or phone use. Good ways to combat this are taking a break for 15 mins every 2 hours, lowering brightness, using eye drops, blinking frequently, and using the 20 20 20 rule. For every 20 minutes of computer viewing, get up and look at something in the distance at least 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Some things you can buy to help reduce eyestrain are anti-glare filters and blue light glasses.

Sitting at a computer for long hours can damage more than just your eyes. The way you sit in a chair can directly influence the health of your spine and back. Back pain, spinal dysfunction, and joint degeneration can be caused by prolonged slouching and bad posture. Looking down at a phone can cause neck pain as well. Some ways to improve posture are keeping your feet flat, keeping your back straight, and keeping your phone at eye level when using it.

Most people had to continue work or school from home during the pandemic, which limited contact between friends and families. This could lead to a smaller social battery, worsened communication and social skills. Practicing public speaking, active listening, and calling loved ones on occasion can help prevent this.

These negative aspects of screen overuse can have lasting effects on your health and well-being. Make sure to step away from the computer or phone every once in a while to go outside, play a sport, take a walk, or breathe in some fresh air because motivation and inspiration come naturally through real-life experiences.