Technology has slowly made space for itself in everybody's lives. With eighty-seven percent of millennials stating that their smartphone never leaves their side, 80% of them checking their smartphone first thing in the morning and 88% using the camera on their smartphone weekly, we can determine the extent to which we have become dependent on technology.
While this technology can very conveniently help us learn about new things, it can also affect our physical and mental health. And since we are always in the contact of technology in some form or the other, it is imperative to check on how it is affecting us physically in various ways.
Sedentary lifestyle
While technology is meant to add to our efficiency, it also encourages a sedentary lifestyle. A study proves that there is a direct connection between prolonged sitting and life longevity. Hence, if you are a person who works the whole day in front of your computer or laptop and then goes back home to watching TV or using mobile phones for entertainment, SMBT Group of Institutes suggests you some kind of movement to ensure that you live a healthy and long life.
Sleep disorders
Prolonged exposure to screens and the subsequent emission of blue light reduces the levels of melatonin, a hormone that promotes sleep and allows for increased alertness the following morning. As a result, the number of cases of people having troubled sleep is increasing. A research conducted in 2015 states that 93% of Indians are sleep deprived for various reasons. The anxiety behind not receiving a call or a text, or using phones till late at night is adding to this percentile. SMBT Group of Institutes suggests proper sleep hygiene, including limiting the use of light-emitting devices or smartphones close to bedtime.
Vision issues
70% of adults have experienced some symptoms of eyestrain from digital device usage, including using small cell phone screens to watch videos and movies. Prolonged exposure to screens can cause dry eyes, light sensitivity, double vision, fatigue, and headaches. SMBT Group of Institutes advices the 20-20-20 rule to counter this problem. When working with screens, take a 20 second break every 20 minutes and look 20 feet away. Using screens at appropriate distances and using cool gray color as the backdrop can also help.
Muscle strain
Using phones, computers or laptops for longer periods of time can create a strain in our neck and back. Constant scrolling or playing games using thumbs can cause a condition called ‘text thumb’. The arms, elbows and fingers too get strained when too much time is spent holding a cellphone to the ear, resting elbows on a desk, or keeping arms bent in an acute angle. SMBT Group of Institutes recommends using both the hands to reduce appendage and change in the position of arms.
While not much can be done about the nature of the jobs we do or the ever increasing link between the real and virtual world, a lot can be done on creating a balance between the two. See to that you limit your time on the screens and make sure that you provide your body with some kind of movement everyday. We hope that these facts and tips help you in some way. Here’s wishing you a healthy screen time!
For more such blogs, keep following us!
While this technology can very conveniently help us learn about new things, it can also affect our physical and mental health. And since we are always in the contact of technology in some form or the other, it is imperative to check on how it is affecting us physically in various ways.
Sedentary lifestyle
While technology is meant to add to our efficiency, it also encourages a sedentary lifestyle. A study proves that there is a direct connection between prolonged sitting and life longevity. Hence, if you are a person who works the whole day in front of your computer or laptop and then goes back home to watching TV or using mobile phones for entertainment, SMBT Group of Institutes suggests you some kind of movement to ensure that you live a healthy and long life.
Sleep disorders
Prolonged exposure to screens and the subsequent emission of blue light reduces the levels of melatonin, a hormone that promotes sleep and allows for increased alertness the following morning. As a result, the number of cases of people having troubled sleep is increasing. A research conducted in 2015 states that 93% of Indians are sleep deprived for various reasons. The anxiety behind not receiving a call or a text, or using phones till late at night is adding to this percentile. SMBT Group of Institutes suggests proper sleep hygiene, including limiting the use of light-emitting devices or smartphones close to bedtime.
Vision issues
70% of adults have experienced some symptoms of eyestrain from digital device usage, including using small cell phone screens to watch videos and movies. Prolonged exposure to screens can cause dry eyes, light sensitivity, double vision, fatigue, and headaches. SMBT Group of Institutes advices the 20-20-20 rule to counter this problem. When working with screens, take a 20 second break every 20 minutes and look 20 feet away. Using screens at appropriate distances and using cool gray color as the backdrop can also help.
Muscle strain
Using phones, computers or laptops for longer periods of time can create a strain in our neck and back. Constant scrolling or playing games using thumbs can cause a condition called ‘text thumb’. The arms, elbows and fingers too get strained when too much time is spent holding a cellphone to the ear, resting elbows on a desk, or keeping arms bent in an acute angle. SMBT Group of Institutes recommends using both the hands to reduce appendage and change in the position of arms.
While not much can be done about the nature of the jobs we do or the ever increasing link between the real and virtual world, a lot can be done on creating a balance between the two. See to that you limit your time on the screens and make sure that you provide your body with some kind of movement everyday. We hope that these facts and tips help you in some way. Here’s wishing you a healthy screen time!
For more such blogs, keep following us!
