Today’s world doesn’t allow us to avoid spending time in front of screens. This time is called screen time and too much of it can be harmful.
Whether you’re spending more time behind a screen because your job has you working from home, you love to look at your phone for hours, or you simply watch too much television, too much time behind a screen is bad for you.
Too Much Time Behind A Screen Takes a Toll
When you spend hours a day behind a computer screen, you will eventually experience eye fatigue, strain, and potentially experience vision that’s been negatively impacted. Screen time can cause you to become nearsighted at the least and potentially lead to other vision problems. You’re making your eyes work harder than they should and will cause overload on them.
Psychologically, an increased level of time in front of screens can cause you to feel depressed, irritable, frustrated, and isolated. While you may still have your family around you and be able to interact with them, the many hours a day that you’re separated from them while working can be daunting. This screen time can leave a lasting impact on your well-being and you need to make sure it doesn’t.
Too Much Screen Time is Worse for Kids
As an adult, you’re developed and no longer growing, at least not physically, but kids are. Your children have many years of growth and development in front of them. The online environment we’ve been thrust into during the COVID-19 pandemic doesn’t offer kids the chance to get away from the screens as easily as before. This is causing some health issues for developing children who are spending too much time behind screens.
Kids Can Receive Too Much Stimulation from Screens
If your child is showing emotional or behavior changes that you didn’t see much of before they were forced into online learning, the problem could be as simple as too much screen time. If they are complaining of their vision becoming blurry or spotty vision, they might be spending too many hours staring at a screen. Socially, if your children begin to like screens more than people, there is a serious problem that needs to be fixed.
How Can You Reduce the Amount of Screen Time
Reducing the amount of screen time you or your kids experience every day is important. Your eyes, brain, and psyche need a break from the barrage of information you’re getting on your screen. While your job may depend on you being behind a screen, there are ways to reduce this time as well.
Make Your Breaks Count
If you work from home or spend hours a day at the office behind a computer screen, you can reduce your screen time during your breaks. When you take a break, make sure you leave your desk, get up and move around, and leave your phone behind. Cut all screens from your break time to give your eyes time away from the screens. It might help to close your eyes and just relax for a few minutes.
Set Limits to the Amount of Screen Time for Your Kids
You’re the parent and the authority figure in your home, it’s up to you to limit the number of hours each day that your children are on their screens. Have activities planned for time away from screens and set a good example by following the same rule as much as you can. This could be a great bonding experience for the whole family.
Leave Devices Out of the Bedroom Area
Do you or your kids spend time on screens before falling asleep at night? This can be harmful to your sleep patterns and cause you to feel tired in the morning. Try to unplug your bedroom area and leave all devices outside of the room. If you have a TV in your room, try to turn it off before falling asleep at night. Giving your eyes a rest before going to sleep can be helpful to the quality of sleep you get at night.
Everything, Even Screen Time, in Moderation
We know it’s harmful to eat too much, drink too much alcohol, or push our bodies to the point of physical collapse. The same is true of screen time. Too much time behind screens can be extremely harmful to your health and well-being. Put down your phone, turn off your computer and leave the screens alone for a few hours every day.
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