How much Screen Time is too much?
This is one of those uncomfortable moments when you have to write about something you know you need to improve!
I was asked by Vizulize to reflect on how much time I spend at a screen and talk about my findings!
If you’re someone who works at a computer or even on your phone you will know the hours spent looking at a screen are unlikely to be good for you.
My iPhone actually tells me each week how my screen time activity is going, if it’s more or less than the previous week and whether I was productive or just scrolling Facebook!
One thing I have noticed is that when I have more work on and I also work in the evenings it is having a negative effect on my health.
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Screen time before bed
I suffer from anxiety and have done since my daughter was born four years ago. However, it’s much better when I get a full nights sleep. This is not always possible as I’ve realised if I work in the evenings and look at my phone or laptop I wake throughout the night and have more anxious thoughts, worries and general insomnia than if I put the phone or laptop away during the early evening.
I find if I have these devices on after 8pm I have an unsettled night.
It’s not surprising given that the blue light emitted from screens is well known to impact your sleep quality and put unnecessary stress on your eyes.
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Symptoms connected to screen time
Looking at screens for too long can cause a range of symptoms, some of which you will probably have experienced and may not even realise that these are caused by your laptop or phone. These are:
Headaches
Lack of sleep
Watery eyes
Eye strain, tired, sore eyes
Anxiety
Rubbing your eyes too much
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Tips for treating eye strain and balancing too much screen time
If you feel like you are suffering from any of the above, these simple tips can help you.
To keep eyes hydrated at home or in the office try using a humidifier.
Have regular eye tests as any changes to your eyesight can cause headaches if your glasses prescription is not updated.
Take breaks from your screen using the ‘20-20-20’ rule. Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This gives your eyes relief from your screen and allows the surrounding muscles to relax.
Fit an anti-glare filter to your screen. This can help reduce the amount of blue light emitted and minimise computer eye strain.
If your eyes are particularly dry, sore or you know they get tired because you can’t avoid a certain amount of screen time, try specific products for eye strain. I love the cooling and soothing relief eye drops from Vizulize.
Try not to use screens before bedtime. Set a time each night when these will be turned off. I know some families put all their phones in an old shoebox they call ‘The Phone Box’. Then they collect them in the morning!
If you would love to know more about how people are managing their screen time check this infographic below. You are not alone in this battle as you can see from the #ScreenStats!
What can you do to reduce screen time? Tell me below in the comments…
Credit: Vizulize.
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post, however all opinions are 100% my own.
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