Screen Time and Its Effect on Our Health

Electronic screens are a part of our everyday life. We can’t live without it. However, there are many negative effects when we misuse these screens, which could impact both our physical and mental well-being. 

First of all, screens are very harmful to your eyes, for they emit LED (light emitting diode) radiation. Studies show that LED radiation is harmful to the retina —the deepest part of the eye. According to the Cleveland Clinic, LED radiation can cause retinal detachment which can lead to blindness if not treated properly. LED radiation can also damage our skin with prolonged exposure. The National Library of Medicine states that blue light could cause hyperpigmentation and skin aging. 

An excess amount of screen time also affects other parts of our overall physical health. Our posture may be affected by staring at our phone, and serious neck and back problems could arise. Other problems that occur include obesity and sleep disorders. There are also high risks for cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels among others. 

Spending excessive time on our electronic devices also takes a huge toll on our mental wellbeing. Numerous studies show that screen time can lead to depression, anxiety, and even a syndrome known as ‘brain fog’ where a person could get confused, forget things, and have less focus. However, based on your age group, there could be several different consequences on your mental health. According to news-medical.net, mental well-being in adolescents has declined dramatically because adolescents spend more than the recommended time limit of 2 hours per day. Increased screen time has also been connected to increased risk of obesity and bad self-esteem, news-medical writes. Adults, like adolescents, there is a high risk for obesity in adults due to them having a sedentary lifestyle. Sedentary is defined as a somewhat inactive lifestyle and the person constantly sitting down. Screen time is also linked to insulin resistance which could cause diabetes. 

On average, people around the world spend close to 7 hours per day glued to their screens. This ‘addiction’ could cause numerous changes to your brain and could cause us to act and think differently. 

Addiction has a lot to do with our brain’s chemistry. Our brain is essentially programmed to reward us when we do something delightful. When we do these pleasurable tasks, our brain releases a neurotransmitting chemical known as dopamine. When our brain releases dopamine, we feel good and it makes us keep doing these addicting tasks, like staring at a screen. Our brains then get rewired and taught to keep repeating the behavior. 

You may be thinking that this is not as serious of an issue as it really is. However, the statistics go more in-depth into why an excessive amount of using your electronic devices could lead to serious disaster. In the U.S. alone, people average about 7 hours and 4 minutes just staring at a screen. Isn’t that just shocking? Out of the 9 hours in a day that 11 to 14- year-olds spend on a screen, 5 of those are spent watching television. Likewise, out of the 7 and a half hours 15-18 year olds spend on a screen, 4 and a half hours are spent on television. As I have stated before, this may not seem significant but in reality, it is alarmingly determinantal, because excessive screen time  drastically undermines both your physical and mental wellbeing and will decrease your overall quality of life. 

Works cited:

Campiche, R., Curpen, S. J., Lutchmanen-Kolanthan, V., Gougeon, S., Cherel, M., Laurent, G., Gempeler, M., & Schuetz, R. (2020). Pigmentation effects of blue light irradiation on skin and how to protect against them. International journal of cosmetic science, 42(4), 399–406. https://doi.org/10.1111/ics.12637

CDC. (2018, January 29). Screen Time vs. Lean Time Infographic. CDC - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved March 22, 2023, from https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpao/multimedia/infographics/getmoving.html

Clinic, C. (2021, February 8). Retinal Detachment. Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved March 22, 2023, from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/10705-retinal-detachment

Henderson, E. (2021, August 9). 2 8 Excess screen time detrimental to adolescents' mental health. News Medical. Retrieved March 22, 2023, from https://www.news-medical.net/news/20210809/Excess-screen-time-detrimental-to-adolescentse28099-mental-health.aspx

Howarth, J. (2023, January 13). Alarming Average Screen Time Statistics (2023). Exploding Topics. Retrieved March 22, 2023, from https://explodingtopics.com/blog/screen-time-stats

Mosley, A. (2020, October 10). The Negative Effects of Screen Time for Adults and Children. Valleywise Health. Retrieved March 22, 2023, from https://blog.valleywisehealth.org/negative-effect-of-screen-time-adults-children/

Williams, N., Dr. (2022, June 29). Screen Time and Mental Health (D. Ellis, Ed.). News Medical. Retrieved March 22, 2023, from https://www.news-medical.net/health/Screen-Time-and-Mental-Health.aspx