Spending eight hours or more a day in front of a screen has become entirely normal. And naturally, screen time long-term effects have become even more pronounced and commonplace.
Work in the 21st century usually involves long stretches of sitting and staring at a computer, followed by more screen time for relaxing and staying in touch with others. Before you know it, your eyes, neck and brain have barely had a break. What are the long-term effects of this, and how can you shake up this routine?
What Are the Long-Term Effects When You Sit in Front of a Screen All Day?
Most people spend a large part of their day sitting in front of a screen. Nearly one in four Americans aged 18 to 29 reports nine to 12 hours of screen time per day.
That level of screen time is hardly surprising when work, study, social life, entertainment and even downtime now happen online. When so much of life is lived sitting still and looking at a screen, it can take a toll on your physical, mental and overall well-being.
1. Digital Eye Strain
Spending hours on computers, tablets, e-readers and smartphones doesn’t permanently damage your eyes. What it can do, however, is lead to computer vision syndrome, which comes with symptoms like eye irritation, sensitivity to light and blurry vision.
Your eyes work harder on screens than on printed pages. They need to refocus on pixels constantly — the tiny dots that make up letters and images. Plus, the low contrast between text and background on screen can worsen the strain.
People also tend to blink fewer than seven times a minute while using computers and other digital devices. This causes the surface of your eyes to dry out faster, contributing to eye discomfort and fatigue.
2. Neck and Shoulder Pain
Sitting for eight hours in front of a computer during the workday and a few more hours doomscrolling on social media is physically demanding. You probably don’t notice how many times you look down or lean forward to get a better view of your screens, but doing so strains your neck muscles and rounds your shoulders.
This can cause stiffness, pain and soreness in the neck and shoulder — what people call “tech neck.” To make matters worse, the pain typically travels. The strain can cause pain in the arms and hands.
3. Sleep Disruption is Part of Screen Time Long-Term Effects
Screen time affects sleep in more ways than one. First, some people spend so much time typing and tapping on their gadgets that they no longer have time for physical activities, which is vital for a good night’s sleep.
Second, the blue light emitted by digital screens interferes with your circadian rhythm — your body’s natural sleep cycle. The light slows your body’s production of the sleep hormone melatonin, so you may find it more difficult to sleep. Additionally, your sleep may not be as restful.
4. Headache and Migraine
If your head starts to throb by mid-afternoon, your screen might be partly to blame. A study found a link between prolonged screen time and headaches, with 90% of people who spent seven to nine hours a day on screens reporting regular headaches.
Screens may also trigger migraines or make an attack more intense. Brightness, high contrast and flickering can all cause pulsing pain on one side of your head that refuses to be ignored.
5. Emotional Fatigue as Part of Screen Time Long-Term Effects
Many people treat their digital devices as a form of stress relief. After a long day, scrolling or streaming are the easiest ways to switch off. The catch is that excessive screen time prevents your brain from getting the break it needs, which can cause higher levels of anxiety, depression and other mood disorders.
6. Other Health Risks
No matter where you are and what you do on your digital device, screen time usually means sitting still for far too long. It may push you toward a sedentary lifestyle, which will cause far more than “just” tech-neck.
There’s a reason sitting has earned the nickname “the new smoking.” Sitting for long periods of time has been linked to obesity and metabolic syndrome, which includes increased blood pressure and sugar, unhealthy cholesterol levels, and excess fat around the waist. It may also raise your risk of death from heart disease and cancer, especially when your daily life involves little to no physical activity.
11 Hacks to Keep Your Body Happy and Healthy Despite High Screen Time Long-Term Effects
Screens are part of modern living, so simply cutting them out of your life is unrealistic. The following hacks may help you stay healthy without logging off entirely.
1. Try the 20-20-20 Rule
The 20-20-20 rule is an effective way to reduce digital eye strain, and you can do it with no effort. All you have to do is take a 20-second break to look at something about 20 feet away for every 20 minutes you spend staring at a screen.
Don’t worry — you don’t need a tape measure or military precision to do it. The goal is to give your eyes a chance to focus on something in the distance. Looking out of a window, down the street or at a far wall across the room does the trick.
2. Blink More to Combat Screen Time Long-Term Effects
Blinking is a natural part of living, but you may not notice your blink rate drop when you stare at a screen. Make a conscious effort to blink more frequently or place a small reminder near your screen. Doing so helps prevent dry eyes by evenly distributing moisture across your eyes each time you close them.
To refresh your eyes even more, you can use artificial tears when dryness kicks in. It’s a good idea to place a humidifier in the room to add moisture to the indoor air, too.
3. Set a Micro-Movement Timer
Set a timer to remind yourself to move every 30 minutes. Stand up, stretch, roll your shoulders, or walk around for a minute or two. Although the movements are short and small, they add up by helping keep your body from locking into one position all day.
4. Switch to a Standing Desk
Standing on its own won’t cancel out the effects of too much sitting, but it does give your body a break from being in one position for hours. You can get a high-quality standing desk and take it further by working while walking by setting a treadmill under it. If you don’t want to invest right away, standing at a high table or kitchen counter for part of the day works just as well.
5. Consider Botox
If sitting in front of a screen triggers your migraines to the point where it impacts your work and life, it might be time to consider Botox. Aside from giving you a more youthful appearance, this treatment can also block specific pain transmitters.
Botox injections reduce many people’s reliance on pain medication and improving daily functioning. The effects can last up to three months, but the treatment itself is quick, typically taking under 15 minutes.
6. Walk at Lunch or Phone Meetings
There are plenty of ways to move your body during your working hours, such as a short walk at lunch or pacing during phone meetings. They may not seem like much, but they can do wonders for your health.
Even 20 to 30 minutes of walking is enough to lower your risk of heart disease by 30%. Plus, it can provide a much-needed break from a busy day and boost your mood.
7. Fix Your Setup to Reduce Screen Time Long-Term Effects
Making your workspace, gaming station or everyday computer setup more ergonomic can go a long way toward keeping both your eyes and body happy. Research shows that people who use ergonomic tools assist in managing musculoskeletal symptoms like back and neck pain. Here’s how to set yourself up for better screen-time health:
- Change your screen position: Keep your monitor at eye level so you don’t have to constantly look up or down. You can use a monitor or laptop stand to help raise your screen.
- Adjust brightness and contrast: When your screen is much brighter than the room you’re in, you may overwork your eyes. Match your screen brightness to your surroundings and increase contrast to make text easier to read.
- Support your lower back: Choose a chair with proper lumbar support or place a small pillow behind your lower back. This can help you maintain the natural curve of your spine.
- Keep your feet flat: Sit with both feet flat on the floor and your knees bent at 90° to maintain proper posture. If your legs are dangling, use a footrest.
8. Wear Blue-Light-Blocking or Computer Eye Glasses
People often thought blue light and computer glasses were the same, but they actually serve different purposes. Blue-light-blocking glasses filter out specific light wavelengths, which may reduce disruptions to your sleep cycle and make it easier to wind down at night.
Computer eyeglasses are something else entirely. These are prescription lenses made specifically for computer use, with a focal point at screen distance — about 20 to 26 inches from your face. Some versions also use multifocal lenses to let your eyes shift comfortably between close, intermediate and far distances.
9. Avoid Sitting With Your Back Straight
Surprisingly, sitting bolt upright can be just as tough on your body as slouching. Holding your back straight for long periods puts extra pressure on the discs in your lower back, while the muscles at the back of your neck must stay engaged to keep your head upright. When you sit up straight for hours, you may experience neck and lower back pain.
It’s better to recline your chair by 25°-30° so your body can lean back slightly. Ideally, you should position your neck so it would fall backward rather than forward if you nod off.
Sitting in this posture places less force on the disc in your spine and neck. Some of your body weight also goes into the chair instead of straight down your spine, which reduces overall strain and helps you feel more comfortable throughout the day.
10. Use Dark or Night Mode to Reduce Screen Time Long-Term Effects
If you use your laptop, tablet or phone in a dimly lit room, switch the setting to dark mode. Many people find it’s easier on the eyes and may help reduce eye fatigue more than light mode. Try combining dark mode with lower brightness to give your eyes a little break at night.
11. Try No Screens Before Bed
It’s tempting to watch one more episode or scroll through social media in bed, but easing off screens before bedtime can make your sleep more restful. Make it a habit to use the hour before bed as wind-down time, with screen-free activities like stretching, reading, journaling, meditating or simply doing nothing at all.
If it helps, consider making your bedroom a device-free zone to give yourself the best shot at solid sleep. Then, you won’t have the temptation of your phone buzzing or finishing the series you’ve been binging, giving you ample time and space to relax before bed. Your brain will thank you in the morning.
Using Your Screen Without the Strain
Most people in the world use screens for one thing or another. Since you can work, study, socialize, play and unwind online nowadays, they’re practically unavoidable.
All you need is some thoughtful habits to protect your body and support long-term health without disconnecting from modern life. Try these health hacks to keep your screen time beneficial.
About the Author
Mia Barnes is a freelance health and lifestyle writer from the East Coast. Mia is also the Founder and Editor-In-Chief of Body+Mind Magazine. She enjoys writing about topics related to self-care, mindful living, and overall wellness. When not writing, you can find Mia reading romance novels, trying new recipes or practicing yoga.
Website: www.bodymind.com/