I want to preface this blog with the fact that no one enjoys a doom scroll more than myself. We want you to know that enjoying social media, finding its benefits in your life, is nothing to be ashamed of. That is its intended purpose! Okay, now bear with me while we review the argument that maybe your daily six hour doom scroll could be ruining your health.
Technology, the internet, social media, etc. could hands down be the single greatest innovation the world has ever seen. It is a guaranteed fact that you are utilizing technology right now to read this very blog. And we thank you for that. Technology has changed everything from human life expectancy to space exploration to family rearing. However, it has also changed our brains and, maybe, not for the better. Psychology Today shares that those who are dependent on technology can suffer significant adverse effects on their mental health, physical and social lives (psychologytoday.com, 2018). Research shows that each day we have a time limit before we begin to feel the negative ramifications of tech overload. Many studies suggest that that time limit is around three hours per day (nih.gov, 2023). Just like with power, technology comes with great responsibility. Today, we want to review how too much screen time affects our health: mentally, physically and socially and what we can do to help find a healthy, productive balance .
How does too much screen time affect us mentally and emotionally?
Excessive screen time has been found to increase the likelihood of depression and anxiety, in fact those that use screens too much (more than three hours a day) are twice as likely to develop depression and anxiety (health.osu.edu, 2023). Psychology Today warns that people who are chronically online have higher rates of addiction, constant need for arousal, sensory overload, decreased attention, excessive dopamine, decrease in melatonin and an increase in stress (psychologytoday.com, 2018). Other studies have also shown a link between increased screen time and lower academic performance for students (nih.gov, 2023).
How does too much screen time affect us physically?
The mental side effects of screens directly correlate with the physical side effects. One of the mental side effects is decreased melatonin production in our brain. This then causes less sleep and lower quality sleep (psychologytoday.com, 2018). I think you can see where this is headed. Poor sleep quality can lead to poor decision making, decreased emotional regulation, memory difficulties and chronic sleep deprivation (nih.gov, 2023). Excessive screen time can also significantly impact your eyesight. Extended periods of close up blue light exposure and decreased blinking put enough strain on our eye to cause headaches, dry and painful eyes and even affect our ability to see at a distance (health.osu.edu, 2023). While these are the direct impacts there are significant, troublesome secondary effects of screen overuse. Increased screen time can contribute to less physical activity, higher rates of obesity, increased chance of diabetes, higher blood pressure, higher cortisol levels, and joint and body pain (nih.gov, 2023).
How does too much screen time affect us socially?
Psychology Today emphasizes that excessive screen time doesn’t just affect us mentally, emotionally and physically. Research has determined that individuals who are consumed by screens have a decreased ability to recognize non-verbal and emotional cues in others (psychologytoday.com, 2018). Additional adverse social effects can include underdeveloped coping skills, decrease in face-to-face interaction, poor communication and language skills and a higher risk for being cyberbullied (nih.gov, 2023). Being isolated in a digital world rather than a vibrant physical, emotional and social world can have devastating effects on people. As a community, it is critical to ensure we are balancing our online lives with a healthy, rich physical life.
There is a time and a place for online interactions, doom scrolling and vegging out. Everything we’ve outlined are the effects of chronic overuse of screens. We can enjoy and share and participate online without it consuming us to a point that it becomes detrimental. There are so many tools at our disposal to help achieve a healthy balance with screen time.
4 Tips to Reduce Your Screen Time
- Utilize devices like Brick to block access to selected apps that contribute to high screen time.
- Use time limit features on your phone to remind you when you’ve hit your daily screen time limit across selected apps.
- Make note of screen time tracking. Most phones track screen time among all apps and can tell you how much time you’re spending on each one.
- Create screen free time. Prioritize time away from screens to be with family, friends or to work on your hobbies. Pick a handful of designated times to commit to being screen free, i.e. bedtime, meal times, etc.
As always, if you are struggling, please reach out to us today. We are here to help. Click the blue button in the top right-hand button to schedule now.
Sources:
Screen Time: The Impact on Kids and Parenting | Psychology Today
How screen time affects your health | Ohio State Health & Discovery (osu.edu)
Please see the end of this article for tips on healthy screen time plans for kids and parents
Screen Time: The Impact on Kids and Parenting | Psychology Today
