Too Much "Screen Time"

[cherryq]

Hi all. I am wondering if you have adverse side-effects to too much "screen time" (i.e., too much time spent staring at LCD/LED screens close to your face, such as computer monitors, laptops, tablets, phones, etc.).

I work with computers all day long, both at my job for work and when at home for gaming and research. When I am not on my computer, I'm usually on my phone doing research or texting people. My life seems to literally revolve around technology. Unfortunately, I've been noticing some adverse effects to so much screen time. For instance, I was on a computer all day at work yesterday (8 hours), then I came home and played Sim City for about 3 hours on my laptop. When I realized the time and that I should get off, I felt horrible. Head, eye, and neck pain, but also dizziness and my legs felt really weak. I also realized that I was pretty much shutdown mentally. I couldn't process much and was really tired. Long story short, I ended up collapsing in the middle of my living room and just curled up in a ball for a bit until I was no longer dizzy and felt I had some strength and my head wasn't pounding as badly. I felt similarly today at work after only two or three hours into my eight hour day.

Does anyone else have negative side effects like this or in other ways to excessive amounts of screen time?

*Note: I also have similar feelings after being around fluorescent lights, and pretty much any modern lighting system. Perhaps the screen time issue is just light sensitivity in general? I know that computer and phone screens do emit blue light, which supposedly isn't good...

 

[Ste11aeres]

The lights could be one factor, but not the only one. The human body is supposed to move around, and too much time sitting still causes pain, even if the you sit in a position of good posture.

 

[Cerulean]

I believe the issues in my left shoulder are partiallycaused by leaning on it mindlessly while I'm on the computer all day at work. I've been making an effort to sit more upright and less slouchy to see if that helps.

 

[On the Inside]

I get that after about an hour. But that's about all the screen time I get per day.

Get out, walk about and look off into the distance, let your eyes focus out to the horizon. If you are spending 10+ hours a day staring at screens, do this about every 2 hours or so.

 

[RidingDutchman]

Try to lower the brightness on your screen, this helped my headaches a lot (and saves battery life on phone as well )


Do make sure if you are on a PC for that long that you have a proper seat etc.

If you sit in the exact same position for too long and then suddenly get up, your blood pressure suddenly drops, explaining the dizziness and headache. Try to get up slowly and move/get up regularly, it does sound like a combination of staring at a screen for too long and a blood pressure drop when standing up.

Source: I have this myself and because I'm studying to become a nurse

 

[AsheSkyler]

As much as I wriggle and adjust myself during the art process, and as much as I have to get up and down and around in the process of raising a kid and a husband, I don't really suffer any effects from sitting too long. In fact, it'd be nice to be able to sit still in one spot for more than five minutes at at time!

 

[Progster]

If I'm at my computer too long, my eyes hurt a lot. I sometimes get headaches, and the brightness of the screen hurts even more, to the point that I can't look at it any more. I've turned the brightness down, and that helps. Also, it's important to take breaks and stretch, move around and take exercise, if if it's just going to the bathroom or making a cup of coffee.

 

[Datura]

I generally keep my screen brightness as low as I can while maintaining visibilty. This is largely dependent on ambient light sources and glare.

It is also important to take breaks. I suffer a great deal of eye strain if on the computer for too long, causing a mild burning sensation, dark circles, and sometimes a bloodshot appearance. Headaches can result in more severe cases.

It is good to find time to unplug. Try going for walks or taking up some non screen related hobby. Even household chores can be a reprieve.

But computer technology is rather addictive. There is that factor of instant gratification as well as the ever present fear of missing out. I suppose the trick is realizing that a lot of what you are missing online is relatively trivial in comparison to some of the things you are missing in the outside world.

 

[Vinca]

I find that processing the types of information that I view through a screen causes a type of tiredness that processing other types of information eg sitting on a beach looking at the sea, doesn't cause. Processing the type of information that is involved in social interaction is also something I find more tiring that doeing a creative project for example.

There's a software program called "f.lux" which makes the color of your computer's display adapt to the time of day, warm at night and like sunlight during the day. iT's free for mac, not sure about pc. I find that having an orange tint can help somwhatwith eye strain.

 

[Progster]

I find that processing the types of information that I view through a screen causes a type of tiredness that processing other types of information eg sitting on a beach looking at the sea, doesn't cause. Processing the type of information that is involved in social interaction is also something I find more tiring that doeing a creative project for example.

There's a software program called "f.lux" which makes the color of your computer's display adapt to the time of day, warm at night and like sunlight during the day. iT's free for mac, not sure about pc. I find that having an orange tint can help somwhatwith eye strain.

I found a free Windows 7 version for it http://download.cnet.com/f-lux/3000-2094_4-75447318.html

 

[cherryq]

I try to move around, especially while at work. Unfortunately, thinking about needing to move often slips my mind as I get distracted by something else in my work. I guess I will just need to make a more conscious effort to do so.

Also, I will look into f.lux. Thank you for the tip, Vinca !

 

[RidingDutchman]

I try to move around, especially while at work. Unfortunately, thinking about needing to move often slips my mind as I get distracted by something else in my work. I guess I will just need to make a more conscious effort to do so.

Also, I will look into f.lux. Thank you for the tip, Vinca !

Coworker of mine had an alarm on his phone that beeped every hour to remind him of it.
What I tend to do is put down a glass of water and be sure it's always full so I often have to walk back/forth to the sink (and the toilet as a secondary result)

 

[cherryq]

Coworker of mine had an alarm on his phone that beeped every hour to remind him of it.
What I tend to do is put down a glass of water and be sure it's always full so I often have to walk back/forth to the sink (and the toilet as a secondary result)

Perhaps I will try setting a calendar reminder on my computer at work. I may also try the cup of water idea! Thanks!

 

[RidingDutchman]

Perhaps I will try setting a calendar reminder on my computer at work. I may also try the cup of water idea! Thanks!

You're welcome. And as another positive result it is always good to drink enough during the day, which is a thing that often gets forgotten during long work hours (could medically explain the dizziness and headaches as well if you were slightly dehydrated, but I don't know how much you drink)

 

[23andaspie]

Reducing screen time would be ideal, but when that's not feasible (or we simple don't want to) I'd suggest using a combination of your monitor's/screen's brightness and contrast settings and software that can reduce the full-spectrum (no pun intended!) lighting emitted from your screens.

I usually set my brightness/contrast down on my monitors, starting around evening, gradually, eventually having them set on their lowest setting as the night progresses.

Often the external control isn't enough, so here is some software I have personally found useful:
f.lux - Windows, Mac, iPhone/iPad
redshift for linux
Twilight and ScreenDim for Android; using both in conjunction results in synergistic results, and I find using one alone does not reduce the lighting as much as I'd like
MacOSX - I use this in conjunction with flux, since one alone does not dim the screen enough to my liking.

Since a child I have alway had difficulty in falling asleep at night. I wouldn't expect in miracles from this, but I do believe this can reduce at least somewhat the impact digital screens have on our circadian rhythms.