Ways to Decrease Screen Time - An Overview

Introduction:

Technology has helped us perform tasks quickly, but it has side effects that affect our health. The amount of time we spend using digital devices is called screen time. Increased screen time is linked to psychological problems like anxiety and depression and health issues like obesity and poor sleep. It can also cause damaging consequences such as mental health, impaired sleep, and digital eye strain. Although it is almost impossible to escape from the screen, we can adopt ways to limit or decrease screen time.

What Is Screen Time?

Screen time is the aggregate of time spent using electronic devices such as computers, smartphones, video games, or television on the screen. Therefore, it is helpful to monitor and manage the time utilized by electronic devices.

What Are Problems Associated With Increased Screen Time?

Increased screen time can lead to the following problems:

• Attention problem.

• Obesity.

• Less time learning.

• Behavior problem.

• Poor physical health.

• Inadequate sleep schedules and insufficient sleep.

• Delay in language and social skill development.

• Breathing problems.

• Eye strain and headache.

• Addictive behavior.

• Neck, shoulder, and back pain.

• Changes in cognition.

• Reduced physical activity levels.

• Less real-life friends.

• No outings and outdoor activities.

• Poor posture.

• Difficulty in focusing.

What Is the Recommended Screen Time?

Screen time recommended by experts depending on age group is :

• 0 to 18 Months: Babies in this age group should avoid exposure to electronic devices and screens.

• 18 to 24 Months: Kids can have some screen time but are only limited to educational content by parents.

• 2 to 5 Years: Kids can start watching educational-related videos for one hour on weekdays and three hours on weekends.

• Older Than 5 Years: Children can watch television or poetry videos for twenty minutes daily.

• Adults: Screen time of two hours is preferred for an adult per day.

What Is the Impact of Prolonged Screen Time?

Prolonged screen time among teenagers will lead to a lack of physical activity, worse eyesight, higher stress and anxiety, and focus and attention issues. In addition, teenagers often make online friends in some what virtual life, which can lead to isolation. Health issues like physical health and poor sleep quality may also lead to a decline in productivity.

What Are the Ways to Limit the Screen Time?

The various ways we can limit the amount of screen time are :

1. Avoiding phones at the dinner table.

2. Adopting a new hobby such as reading books, painting, dancing, or music.

3. Setting screen time limits on smartphones to count on the usage and daily screen time activity.

4. Deleting unnecessary apps from devices to avoid access and time restraint.

5. Avoid watching television on the bed as the television screen produces blue light that elevates melatonin secretion, making our body fall asleep faster.

6. Turning the non-essential app notifications on the off mode will limit the number of notifications that flash on the screen.

7. Set a timer for electronic devices such as television, mobile, or laptop.

8. Spending more time with family rather than on electronic devices.

9. Avoid using mobile phones in the bathroom.

10. Turn off the television when not in use or not watching television.

11. Invest in an actual alarm clock for waking up early.

12. Adopt book reading instead of reading on the phone.

13. Create a bedroom as an electronic-free zone.

14. Do not use television time as a reward or punishment for kids.

15. Encourage playing outdoor games instead of video games or mobile games.

16. Prefer pen and paper over computer screens for learning.

17. Use time management techniques to reduce screen time.

18. Connect with nature, yoga, and meditation to enjoy life's true and accurate meaning.

19. Call people instead of texting them.

20. Learn to cope with tiny pockets of boredom.

21. Spend more time in the library than on social media sites.

22. Encourage intermittent social media fasting.

23. Designate such a place for devices, making it hard to reach them immediately.

24. Avoid social media during study hours.

25. Install the screen timer app and check the screen time activity every week.

26. Make more face-to-face meetings or real-life meetings than chats.

27. Use newspapers for reading news instead of mobile phones or television.

28. Watch stand-up theaters and dramas instead of watching in the movie hall.

What Are the Health Benefits of Reducing Screen Time?

• Improved Sleep Cycle: The blue light emitted from the screens interrupts circadian rhythm and makes it difficult to sleep. When working on the laptop for more extended hours, watching television late at night can produce melatonin that makes the person stay asleep longer. In addition, limiting screen time after every two hours will regularize the sleep schedule with improved sleep quality.

• Less Stress: Working on electronic devices for a more extended time increases the stress hormone cortisol, directly affecting the nervous system. However, the chemical hormone cortisol can be balanced out by decreasing the amount of screen time and will lead to less anxiety and depression, a stable mood, and improved mental health.

• Better Focus and Brain Function: Increased screen time can affect attention, impulse control, and patience. Reducing screen time will allow the brain to slow down.

• Improved Posture: Increased screen time and sitting in the same posture for a long time can lead to poor posture involving spinal problems and back pain and causes damage to the tendon, nerve, and ligaments. Decreasing screen time will help to increase physical activity that will help to keep joints flexible and healthy and reduce back pain.

• Reduced Eye Strain: Exposure to prolonged screen time can cause blurry vision, eye strain, headache, and dry and itchy eyes. Reducing the screen time will lead to the natural blink of the eyes that will prevent the drying of the eyes and helps maintain comfortable eye vision.

• Increased Productivity: Reducing the amount of screen time and taking time out for other physical activities and other inference tasks.

Conclusion:

In today’s world, avoiding screen time is impossible. Therefore, it becomes difficult to limit screen time. Furthermore, excessive screen time adversely affects children, teenagers, and adults. Thus, decreasing screen time can be challenging to achieve but is essential to maintain the health and productivity of a person.