Here’s What Happens When You Spend 5+ Hours A Day Looking At A Screen

Physical Strain To Your Eyes

Image source OptrexSpending over 5 hours a day is highly likely to give you eye strain which is quite uncomfortable.  It may also leave your eyes dry and this could require over the counter medication to rectify.  Continual excessive time spent on your laptop or phone might contribute towards blurred vision.

Possible Retina Damage

Image source Optom.comIt sounds frightening to think you could actually suffer damage to your retina from simply using your screen all day at work.  Studies in the States concluded that light emitted by LED-illuminated screens could kills cells in your retina, the more you use them and the longer your fingers are attached to the keyboard.

Loss of Cognitive Ability

Image source QuoraOne of the scariest consequences of excessive screen time is the user's mental health. Too much screen time alters the structure of your brain by causing the grey matter that’s responsible for cognitive processes to shrink.  It may also deform the white matter that serves as the network to the brain’s signal communication. The result can be poor concentration and weaker memory

Sleep Deprivation

Image source HelpGuide.orgIf the amount of screen time you clock is over 5 hours, this has a direct impact on how much sleep you are getting.   The blue light emitted from digital screens interferes with the production of the sleep hormone melatonin in your body.  That's why you often hear it said that you shouldn't be on your electronic device up to 2 hours before bedtime.

Lower Oxygen Levels

Image source OnHealth.comAccording to Cleveland Clinic, sitting in a slumped position hinders your lungs' ability to expand so will impair your lung capacity. Inhaling less oxygen means your heart needs to work harder to send more oxygen-carrying blood around the body and to the brain.

Impaired Social Skills

Image source CNETWhen you're using a digital device for a long period of time you tend to do this alone and don't have interaction with what's going on in real life.  This could lead to increasing anti-social tendencies and even feelings of withdrawal. With children in particular, they need to learn to interact with others for their child development.

Risk Of Obesity

Image source Digital LeadersWhat's risking obesity got to do with working hard at your desk all day, being the conscientious person you pride yourself on being?  Well, if you are wearing a smart watch, you will notice that you are unlikely to reach even a thousand steps from lack of physical activity and if you aren't burning up the calories, your weight will very slowly (but surely) creep up.

May Contribute Towards Lower Self-Esteem

Image source PsychaliveSpending too much time in the virtual world of screens may have a negative impact on how you perceive yourself. The time you lose that could have been spent on forming relationships with other people, discovering and honing your passions and creating new experiences may lead to a lack of confidence.  Don't let the screen be your best friend.

Turning To Junk Food

Image source Emily BinderIf your excessive screen time is around the telly, whether you are an adult or younger viewer, the adverts between the programmes you are engrossed in will often be around unhealthy foods and confectionery.  Even if you weren't thinking about eating a chocolate bar before the commercial, you'll be desperate for one afterwards.  Before you know it, a large portion of your daily food intake may be unhealthy.

Susceptibility To Chronic Health Conditions

Image source HealthlineIf you are caught in that trap of overeating and the food choices you are making are the wrong ones, , while you're spending all those hours at the screen, this may make you more vulnerable to a chronic illness such as heart disease or cancer.  Feeling a bit tired at the end of the screen day might be more than just needing an early night.

Possible Risk Of Type 2 Diabetes

 Image source Aido.comConsuming regular fast food because you are too engrossed at the screen to take time to make a healthy snack or meal, coupled with the sedentary lifestyle that goes hand in hand with this, can cause type 2 diabetes.  The gradual weight gain you could experience from sitting for long periods of time are also a contributing factor.

Weakened Emotional Judgment

Image source QuoraToo much screen time and being totally engrossed in what you are doing, may affect your ability to register and process emotions. Your partner or a family member, or friend, might be having a hard time and because much of your time is taken up on that laptop or phone, you may not be in tune with what is actually going on with your loved one.

Delayed Learning In Young Children

Image source Scary MommyWhen it comes to young children, the alteration of the brain’s structure due to excessive screen time might impact their learning abilities. In particular, children who watch more telly could have have more difficulty in picking up languages.  This delay in learning is thought to be as much as 50% higher for every 30 minutes spent watching the TV.

You Struggle With Back And Neck Pain

Image source Medical News TodayIf you've ever sworn you felt your mobile phone vibrate in your back pocket or handbag, only to check it and find there are no missed calls and no new notifications, it may be a sign that you are totally addicted to your phone.  Because you spend so many hours on the device, you may be suffering from phantom vibration syndrome.

Acquired ADHD

Image source The MirrorBeing addicted to your phone and we are talking hours and hours a day, can cause you to become very distracted.  Spending 5+ hours per day, 7 days per week, may cause the brain to lose its ability to concentrate, focus and be organized when it needs to be.  This is a form of ADHD which might not be recognised by the person.

Cyber Sickness

Image source The Mirror

Damaged Sperm

Image source Shield Your BodyHeat from laptops may damage sperm according to some research.  In one study published in the journal, 'Fertility and Sterility', research found that storing sperm samples under a laptop decreased their motility, or ability to move, leading to more DNA damage.

Jay Walking

Image source Hudgell SolicitorsIt won't surprise you that too many smartphone users engage in distracted walking. While focused on the cyber world, they lose reality of the physical one.  Researchers say they tend to jay walk, neglect traffic lights and don't look both ways.  It's suggested that pedestrian safety knowledge is compromised by technology.

Stiff Joints

 Image source TheHealthSite.comWe know we shouldn't sit in one place for hours without getting up occasionally and walking around.  Even so, if you're engrossed in something on your screen, the time will tick on and your hips and knees will suffer.  They will feel so stiff when you finally stand up that it will take you a minute or so to walk with your usual gait.

Poor Circulation

Image source My FootdrSitting for ages, looking at that screen and hardly moving a muscle, will guarantee a 'dead leg' (numbness).  With that, the obligatory pins and needles will start in your feet and you'll be stamping them on the floor to try and get the circulation pumping again.  It's a horrible feeling and can be easily avoided using common sense.

Anxiety

Image source Ohio NewsThe issue here is when you move away from your laptop or forget to take your phone with you.  Even if you're only going to be out for an hour. you'll feel you're missing out on important notifications or urgent texts if your phone isn't to hand, causing anxiety and feeling unsettled.

Losing Friends

Image source HuffPostBreaking arrangements to see your friends as you're in the middle of a video game and want to get to the next level,  is a worrying sign that your cyber life is taking over real life. You've already been gaming for hours on end and are wrapped up in it. You may end up making so many excuses that your pals won't ask you to join them and you could lose them.'

Partnership Issues

Image source Marriage.comAs already discussed, losing friends because of, say, an addiction to gaming, even though you don't see it yourself, is bad enough but when it's your partner you can't shift away from their screen, that's even more serious as it may, undoubtedly, end up as an argument.  If this happens regularly, how tight is your relationship?  Can it stand the behaviour?

Conversation - What Conversation?

Image source CNETWe see it all too often ;  a couple, out for a meal or a drink in the pub, with one of them surgically attached to their phone, for the whole of the outing, even scrolling through when they're eating.  The other person just sits there, used to the behaviour.  That's no 'date night' but a conversation killer which is not healthy at all.  Communication is everything in a relationship.

Repetitive Strain Injury

Image source Ozark.comRepetitive Strain Injury (known as RSI) is painful.  It is caused by  repeated use of a body part, such as your shoulder, elbow, forearm, wrist or hand.  If you're at your screen for over 5 hours a day, there's a chance you could end up suffering from this and, whilst it usually goes away with rest, are you able to stay away and rest it?  That's a question only you can answer.

Dental Problems

Image source Healthier StepsHours and hours at your screen, without moving from your seat, means there's a chance you are properly addicted to whatever it is you are doing on there.  If you aren't even getting up to make or buy food, you'll reach for the energy drinks and before you know it, you'll have 'downed' three in the course of the day.  That's about 20 spoons of sugar, at least and your teeth won't stand for it.  They will rebel and cause them to become decayed.

You'll Stop Enjoying The Good Things

Image source TwitterWhen there's little time, after your daily screen quota, to socialise, go to the gym, walk in the park or get a few rays in the summer sun - or just chill - then it's time to have a think about what's important in your life to make you feel good.  Small adjustments could reap big benefits!