Negative Effects Of Excessive Screen Time On Your Body

These days, screens are a part of everyone's life. Reducing the amount of time spent in front of screens can help your family's health, even if there is mounting evidence to suggest that screen time is bad for both adults and kids. Discover the drawbacks of extended screen time as well as helpful guidelines for reducing electronics use.

Everywhere you look, there are screens; on watches, phones, and tablets. Common sense media reports that teenagers use screens for seven hours and twenty-two minutes a day on average! And that excludes using the computer for academic purposes! Excessive screen time has been linked to health problems, according to studies. Adolescents may be particularly vulnerable because this is a crucial period for brain development. As you're viewing videos or texting with friends is fun, it’s crucial to limit screen time; recognising the potential risks that excessive screen usage poses to the entire family is critical.

What Are The Negative Effects Of Excessive Screen Time On Your Body?

Too much screen time can be harmful whether you watch TV continuously or the whole family stares at their mobile phones. According to certain research findings, the following are some of the negative effects of excessive screen time on your body:

Disturbed sleep: Getting a good night's sleep can be hampered by the light emitted from electronic devices, which disrupts the brain's sleep cycle. Keep screens out of the bedroom and stay away from them for at least an hour before going to bed for a better night's sleep.
Obesity: An excessive amount of time spent in sedentary activities, including watching TV or playing video games, can increase the risk of obesity. Additionally affected is heart health, which raises the risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol.
Decline in cognitive functioning: The effect of excessive screen time on one's mental health is among the most frightening side effects. Overexposure to screens can change the structure of your brain itself by reducing the amount of grey matter, which is involved in cognitive functions, and distorting the white matter, which acts as the brain's signaling network. This shows up as a loss of focus, memory, information processing speed, and impulse control. These effects are especially concerning in children because their developing brains are involved.
Persistent or chronic pain in the neck, back, and shoulders: Excessive screen time can cause bad posture, which can result in persistent back, shoulder, and neck pain. Instead, take short pauses from sitting to stand, stretch, or go for a stroll. Ensure that your chair offers sufficient back support, and aim to maintain the device at eye level.
Anxiety and depression: Spending too much time in front of a screen might be detrimental to your emotional and mental health. According to experts, there may be a link between increased screen time and sadness, as well as an increase in suicidal thoughts and actions and a general decline in emotional intelligence.
Problems in behavior: Children in elementary school who use a computer or watch TV for longer than two hours a day are more likely to experience emotional, social, and attention issues.
Mood changes: Your emotional well-being may be impacted by excessive texting and scrolling. Researchers continue to look at the relationship between screen usage and mood. However, other research indicates that longer screen times are associated with more depressive symptoms. Depression is influenced by a wide range of additional factors. According to other research, kids who spend too much time on screens may forget their obligations, turn to screens as a stress reliever, and experience anxiety when they are not using a device.
Violence: Exposure to violent TV shows, movies, music, and video games may cause children to become desensitized to it. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry states that in the end, kids might turn to violence as a solution to issues and could imitate what they see on television.
Weakened emotional judgment: Your capacity to recognise and process emotions is also impacted by excessive screen time. Desensitization to violent content is one particularly worrying side effect of weakened emotional judgment. Scientific studies have shown that exposure to violent media content can also raise aggressiveness, particularly in young children and teenagers.

Screen Time And Children:

The phrase "screen time" refers to any activity that is done in front of a screen, including computer work, video game playing, and TV watching. Sitting down to watch a screen is a sedentary behavior that involves no physical activity. Screen time consumes very little energy. The average American child watches TV for three hours every day. All forms of screen time combined can amount to five or seven hours each day. An excessive amount of screen time can cause the following impacts on your child:

Make it difficult for them to fall asleep at night.
Boost your child's likelihood of experiencing anxiety, sadness, and attention issues
Increase your child's chance of becoming obese by accumulating too much weight
This leads to vision problems
Delayed learning in young children

How Much Screen Time Can Be Allowed For Children?

The current rules for screen time state that children less than two years old should not use screens. Children 2 years old and older should only spend 1 to 2 hours a day using screens. Videos intended for very young children do not enhance their development, despite what advertisements may claim.

How To Limit The Screen Time For Children?

For some children, cutting back to just two hours a day can be difficult because TV may be such an integral part of their everyday lives. However, you can assist your kids by explaining to them the negative effects of sedentary behavior on their general health. Discuss with them how they might improve their health. To cut down on screen time:

Avoid using the TV as background noise. Instead, turn on the radio or turn off any background noise.
Choose the shows you want to view in advance. When those shows are done, turn the TV off.
Provide alternatives, such as playing board games, doing puzzles together, or taking a walk around the neighbourhood.
Take the computer and TV out of your child's bedroom.
Don't allow viewing TV while doing your homework or eating.
Never allow your child to eat while using the computer or watching TV.
Encourage your family to abstain from screen usage for a week, including viewing TV and other media. Choose activities that will keep you active and energized while you pass the time.
Try using a sleep mode to have the TV turn off automatically if you find it difficult to turn it off.
Make a note of the amount of time you spend in front of the screen. Make an effort to be active for the same length of time.
Provide a positive example for your children. Limit your screen usage to two hours each day.

Conclusion

It would be nearly impossible to live without digital devices now that they have become such an essential part of our everyday lives. Furthermore, there's no need to take such extreme measures to safeguard yourself from the negative effects of excessive screen time; just setting a time limit would do the trick. You'll have more time to spend with friends and family if you spend less time in front of screens!

You may reduce the amount of time you spend on screens by setting screen time limits, talking to friends and family, engaging in hobbies or sports, making bedrooms screen-free, spending meals with your family rather than on mobile devices, and other activities.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: What consequences come with excessive screen time?

A: Excessive use of screens can result in obesity, sleep disorders, anxiety, and depression as well as issues with social and emotional development. It can impede social and emotional competence, exacerbate aggressive behavior, and limit emotional comprehension.

Q: Is using screens for twelve hours a negative thing?

A: Yes, that is over the top. Studies show that two to four hours of screen time each day is the optimal amount. This will support you in keeping your physical body—particularly your eyes—and mental condition in a balanced manner.