A few decades ago, excessive screen usage and social media addiction were not issues that bothered us. One study published in Indian Pediatrics found that 53% of children reported watching less than 2 hours of screen time per day on average. And nearly 37% of parents believed their children’s behaviour, social interactions, academic performance, and eating habits suffered because of excessive media exposure.
We must be aware of the signals of excessive screen usage and the dangers of disobeying the warning signs as our digital-first society increasingly relies on screens for learning, working, and connecting with family.
We are currently participating in a real-world experiment regarding how bad screen time is for us. Many of the new age habits are resulting in chronic illness among children.
The following list of warning signs and symptoms of excessive screen usage includes mental and physical manifestations.
Bad quality of sleep
Our sleep is disturbed by blue light exposure from screens because it throws off our circadian rhythm, especially at night. The primary source of blue light is the sun which controls our level of attentiveness during the day. However, when we are exposed to blue light when it is not daytime, our bodies suppress melatonin — a hormone that regulates sleep. And we are deprived of restorative REM sleep. In other words, even brief late-night screen time sessions for adults and kids confuse our systems into producing less melatonin, making it harder for us to fall asleep.
Additionally, maintaining this alert and awake state in our bodies might trigger the release of the stress hormone cortisol, which heightens tension in the body. As we scroll through our inboxes and social media accounts, the electrical activity in our brains is on overdrive, making it harder to put our bodies and minds into a calm state for sleep.
Here are some of the negative effects of screen time;
● Mental fog
● Lower energy levels
● Mental problems
● Reduced attention span etc.
Vision damage in long-term
According to an increasing number of studies, myopia and screen usage are linked. While genetics unquestionably affect children’s and adults’ vision, other irrefutable factors raise concerns about screen usage and less time spent outdoors.
Short-term vision impairment and irritation
Anyone who spends a lot of time in front of a screen should be concerned when their eyes burn and take care of headaches, impaired vision, and light sensitivity. Almost 3/4th of computer users suffer from computer vision syndrome. When focusing on a screen, people blink 66% less, causing telltale signs of dryness, redness, eyestrain, blurred vision, and so forth.
Increase weight and diabetes
For a very long period, screen time has been linked to obesity in both children and adults. The apparent cause is a more sedentary lifestyle, but it’s also a result of getting too little sleep, which can make you hungry and crave junk food. Being overly sedentary is associated with a higher risk of developing diabetes, and excessive screen usage frequently entails sitting and remaining in a resting condition.
The negative consequences of screen time can add up to more chronic illnesses. Musculoskeletal problems brought on by excessive sitting can also affect our daily health and enjoyment by creating aches and pains.
But it’s more than just a sedentary way of life. In most situations, increased screen time means more exposure to advertisements and digital marketing content that encourage bad habits. Despite people’s knowledge of better, ongoing exposure to these pictures and messaging impacts the human psyche and can change eating preferences and behavioural patterns. As if that weren’t enough, screen time is believed to be a secondary cause of cancer because weight gain is causally linked to at least 12 different types of cancers.
Degrades emotional self
The negative effects of too much screen time can degrade your emotional self. Parents frequently allow their kids to use screens for entertainment or to keep them busy. Even though a few minutes isn’t much, it’s safe to argue that we all use screens for longer than that.
This kind of distraction makes it less likely for kids to engage with others, which suggests screen time is causing kids’ social skills to decline. They find it more difficult to engage and socialize with adults and their classmates. Social development is delayed in the long run.
Along with social problems, early exposure to screens is associated with emotional troubles and family problems. Children who are less emotionally and socially capable miss out on important developmental skill-building opportunities.
Conclusion
Consult your doctor for a diagnosis if you experience symptoms like insomnia, poor short-term memory, anxiety, worsening vision, headaches, or brain fog. In the meantime, keep your daily screen time to six hours, avoid all screens at least an hour before bed, and refrain from using social media on the weekends. You may tell how displays are impacting you clearly if you feel better right away.
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