Indians look at their screens for a whopping 7.3 hrs/day. Wanna know what happens when you look less at them? Here are the benefits.
Do you feel tired after a long day of work? Especially after finishing up that report or even binge-watching a TV show? You are not alone. According to a report by an established market research firm, 49% of Indian youth spend 2–3 hours a day binge-watching content.
Another study by a reputed medical association showed that adults who spend less time in front of the TV are less likely to suffer heart disease.
We are the first Indian generation who’ve grown up with both the TV and the internet. Apps like Whatsapp, Facebook, and Instagram are part of our daily lives. It’s almost impossible to disconnect from technology, and we spend hours looking at a screen at any moment.
All of this excessive time spent in front of screens is negatively affecting us. To counter these adverse effects, let’s look at the benefits of cutting down on screen time.
1. Rested eyes
Your eyes are independent in a lot of ways. They have their own defence mechanisms and are not dependent on the lungs for oxygen supply. Spending a lot of time looking at screens could result in you contracting computer vision syndrome.
To avoid such issues, remember to look away from screens every few seconds after 10 minutes of continuously looking at a digital screen. You can also blink repeatedly a few times to stimulate fresh tears to keep your eyes clean and hydrated. All this will help your eyes relax and prevent any chances of developing a vision problem.
Reducing your screen time markedly decreases the strain on your eyes.
2. Better focus
Screens run our daily lives. We sit in front of screens for work, and then we use our smartphones for calls, text messages, and even for entertainment. Have you noticed how, when you take a break from screens for lunch or a coffee break, you feel good and rested?
This is because focusing your eyes on things that are at a distance for a few moments, especially after staring at a screen right in front of you for a prolonged period of time, helps rest your strained eyes.
What’s even better is if you just get up off your desk and go for a stroll. This way, you’d be relieving the strain on your entire body and mind.
Reducing screen time helps you better focus your mind, which improves your efficiency at work. It increases your productivity, helps you organise your tasks and life better, and also regulates your emotions.
3. Improved posture
Sitting in front of screens for a long time automatically prompts us to slouch our shoulders. We also tend to lean forward and bend our necks, particularly when we need to concentrate on something on the screen.
Holding such slouched and bent positions for a long time does a number on our backs. Instead, you want to take frequent breaks to change the positions of your limbs and back and also rest your eyes.
Considering the bigger picture, you should take stock of your entire day’s screen time and seriously consider replacing a part of it with another activity.
While work-related screen time cannot be avoided, perhaps you can switch things up by listening to music or podcasts to wind down after a tiring day instead of binge-watching. This way, you can still enjoy interesting new content while resting your tired bones and your strained eyes.
4. Relief from stress-induced headaches
Do you often get headaches after spending a long time on a report or even an article? Us too. There’s a scientific study that explains this phenomenon. According to this French cross-sectional study, long periods of exposure to screens increase the risk of migraines in young adults.
Based on the results of this study, it is fair to conclude that reducing screen time means reduced tiredness and fewer headaches that come with it. All it requires is for you to be more conscious about how much time you're spending in front of a screen.
5. Better Sleep
Sleeping heals the body. Deep sleep has been shown to have many benefits, including a better immune system, faster recovery, higher metabolism, and much more. By controlling your screen time, you can also improve the quality of your sleep.
The blue light emitted by digital screens can disrupt your circadian rhythm. This light, especially just before bedtime, can disrupt the production of your sleep hormones, like melatonin, and make it harder for you to fall asleep.
Limiting screen time, especially 2 hours before bedtime, can drastically improve the quality of your sleep and also help you stick to a healthy sleep cycle.
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