How much time can you spend in front of a screen without harming your health?

People spend more than a quarter of their lives on the Internet, can you imagine? On average, it’s 6-7 hours a day, and even more on weekends – you can’t miss a new episode of your favorite TV series! Such lifestyle not only spoils your eyesight, but also drives you into depression – that’s what scientists say. So, if your day begins and ends with a phone in your hands or at the computer monitor, this article is for you.

Does the computer really have a negative impact on eyesight?

The first studies about the negative impact of the computer on human health appeared in the late 1990s – by that time more than 100 countries were connected to the network (the word “Internet” did not exist then). In 1998, the journal CyberPsychology and Behavior published another material about the harm of screens. At that time, experts did not name specific figures. And only in 2017, researchers calculated the time that can be spent at the monitor without harm to health.

Here’s what happened: less than six hours is the norm, more – you can, but there is a risk of getting depression or another mental disorder. A year later, experts increased the “normal” range to 7-8 hours.

Since then, science has not made much progress in studying this issue, and research on this topic is already outdated. Experts simply do not keep up with the development of technology. The more so that now truly harmful monitors are no longer produced. According to ophthalmologist Natalia Voroshilova, new gadgets are indeed safer than older models. But this does not make them absolutely harmless.

Natalia Voroshilova

ophthalmologist

Compared to their predecessors, modern screens have a lower flicker frequency, that is, they emit less blue color. But prolonged work at the computer, especially at close distances, still negatively affects vision and can even provoke a violation of accommodation (the ability of the eye to focus on objects).

Prolonged exposure to the blue spectrum of radiation can lead to the development of myopia and retinal diseases. The fact is that such rays have the shortest wavelength and the highest energy. That is, the light can penetrate into the skin even deeper than ultraviolet A and B rays.

How to reduce computer harm?

In 2018, the University of Pennsylvania conducted a study: it showed that time out from the screen for 30 minutes a day reduces the harm to health. But the “safe” time for everyone is individual and largely depends on age, notes the ophthalmologist.

Natalia Voroshilova

ophthalmologist

Children under two years old are not recommended to be allowed to watch screens at all. Up to five years old can watch about 20 minutes, from five to seven years old – 40 minutes. Schoolchildren can sit at the computer for about an hour. At the same time, the continuous time at the screen should not exceed half an hour. Adults can develop computer syndrome after four hours of work at the computer.

What is it threatening? Deterioration and defocusing of vision, intraocular pressure, eye and neck pain, migraines. Computer syndrome can be recognized by dry and red eyes, chronic fatigue and decreased visual acuity. Another consequence that can face those who like to “hang out” on the phone is carpal tunnel syndrome. It is manifested by numbness in the hands and pain in the fingers. All this can be avoided if you follow simple rules.

Reduce the time at the screen. Predicting your indignation, we will say: the most valuable advice – obvious.

Follow the 20-20-20 rule. Its essence is to take a 20-second break every 20 minutes. During this time, you should look at a point 20 feet away (about six meters). Excuses are not accepted – set a reminder or alarm clock. You can do this with special timer widgets, such as Minutes for macOS and WorkRave for Windows.

Do eye exercises. An ophthalmologist recommends periodic exercises, such as this one. Extend your arm out in front of you – look first at your thumb, then away, at the horizon. Hold your gaze in each position for 10 seconds. Repeat 10-15 times. By the way, playing sports like badminton and table tennis are good for practicing your eyesight.

Use glasses with a blue-colored filter. They absorb the brightness of the screen and block the blue spectrum. Manufacturers claim that such an accessory will help preserve vision and improve the quality of sleep.

Put your phone away an hour before bedtime. At least do not go to bed with a smartphone in your hands, if you do not want to suffer from insomnia.

Spend your time in a beneficial way. Instead of mindlessly scrolling through your Instagram feed for hours, spend that time learning something really important. Author of Deviced! Balancing Life and Technology in a Digital World, Doreen Dodgen-Magee, argues that screen time spent in a meaningful way can’t hurt.

Keep track of screen time. Most smartphones have long had a feature that tracks time spent on websites and apps. You can see the report in your phone’s settings in the “Screen Time” section.

Reduce screen brightness as darkness falls. Light interferes with the production of melatonin – the sleep hormone, and this has a bad effect on well-being. Additionally, you can glue a matte film on the screen: this will reduce glare and blue light exposure to 30%-60% of blue light.

Switch the screen to monochrome mode. On iOS, you need to go into settings and select “Grayscale” in the “Display Adaptation” section. On Android, you can download the Monochrome app. In this mode, everything is displayed in black and white: pictures in this case become less attractive. This will help you to be less distracted by your device and save battery power.

Keep the phone at a distance of 30 cm from your face. The computer monitor should be placed no closer than 60 cm from the eyes, TV – 300 cm. Myopes in this case can only sympathize, but for them there is a way out – to wear special glasses for reading. The accessory is selected according to the doctor’s recommendations and the results of the examination.