Screens have become deeply integrated into every aspect of modern life: we use mobile phones to keep in touch with friends, computers to finish work, tablets to take online classes and TVs to enjoy our leisure time. However, very few of us seem to be aware that screens have the potential to subtly negatively impact our sleep quality and mental health.
The true issues lie in the amount of time spent, the activities engaged in and the timing of screen use. Browsing social media, watching videos, and checking work emails right before going to bed all affect one’s ability to fall asleep. Furthermore, having too much screen time can lead to the development of unhealthy habits that we might not even be aware of.
However, it is relatively easy to develop healthy screen use habits as long as we make a few small changes to our routines. As little as a few minutes’ worth of self-improvement each day can make all the difference!
How Does Screen Time Affect Sleep?
The mechanism by which screen time affects sleep is extremely intuitive: the subconscious scrolling past one’s bedtime while using a phone or watching TV, the blue light that suppresses one’s melatonin production, and the stimulating nature of shows and videos all contribute to one’s inability to fall asleep.
This can lead to a particularly harmful cycle in which one is too tired to function during the day and has no choice but to rely on screens to pass time, which in turn leads to an even harder time falling asleep that night.
How Can Screen Time Affect Mental Health?
The same reasoning can be applied to the negative effects of screen time on mental health. Again, the issue does not lie in screens themselves, but in their usage.
On the one hand, the constant influx of information from social media can lead some users to suffer from anxiety about their social standing and self-worth, while the constant stream of notifications can lead to FOMO (the fear of missing out).
On the other hand, excessive screen time can crowd out one’s time to engage in other important activities, such as exercise or hobbies. The central issue here involves managing one’s time wisely between different activities.
What Are the Signs of Excessive Screen Use?
What are the signs that suggest our screen use has gotten out of hand? What qualifies as excessive screen time anyway?
Unfortunately, there are no official standards that tell us how much is “too much” for everyone. After all, we all lead vastly different lifestyles and have different occupations, so our screen time requirements are bound to be different as well.
Nevertheless, we can refer to a list of warning signs that should prompt us to reconsider our screen use habits.
- Do you find yourself staying up late watching TV shows or scrolling through TikTok before bed?
- Do you feel excessively tired the next day?
- Do you immediately open social media when you wake up in the morning?
- Are you incapable of stopping yourself from endlessly watching short videos or binge-watching an entire series?
- Have you lost interest in activities that you used to enjoy?
- Are you constantly annoyed by the notifications from different social media apps?
- Do you feel anxious whenever you are unable to check social media at a specific time?
- Do you spend significantly less time talking to your friends and family in person?
- Are you unable to concentrate on simple tasks you used to handle with ease?
These are all red flags that suggest our screen use is negatively affecting other areas of our lives.
Please note that none of these questions are meant to shame or berate anyone in any way. These are all simply healthy living guidelines that give us food for thought and allow us to improve our lifestyles without inducing guilt or negative emotions.
What Can You Do to Improve Your Screen Use Habits?
If any of these apply to you, you can consider taking the following steps to improve your screen use habits:
- Set a one-hour screen detox before bed. In lieu of scrolling through social media, read a book, listen to some relaxing music or do some simple stretches to help your body wind down.
- Set your alarm clock outside your bedroom if you have to use your phone as your alarm clock. This can help you get better sleep and reduce the grogginess you might feel when you wake up if you immediately start scrolling through your phone.
- Disable all the notifications on your phone to avoid getting sidetracked by random messages popping up on your screen.
- Set a schedule for watching videos or shows on your computer so your eyes and body can get adequate rest.
- Set specific times for meals and avoid using screens during these times. Communicate with your family and friends more during meal times.
- Putting your phone away can slow you down while you eat while also reducing your mental burden.
- Replace some screen time with offline hobbies so that you can gradually reduce your screen time while also enjoying new activities.
How Can You Start Reducing Screen Time?
Let us begin with an easy improvement we can all make: replacing the useless content we scroll through until we’re numb with something we can do offline, such as walking outside or exercising.
First and foremost, we must dispel the myth that we must rid ourselves of all screens in order to enjoy a balanced and healthy lifestyle. We only need to make sure to spend screen time in a measured and intentional manner.
An active offline life can enrich us in countless ways and significantly improve our mental wellbeing.
With this, let us look at the guidelines we can refer to in order to make healthy and sustainable improvements to our screen use habits. Refer to the following suggestions and only follow the applicable ones.
Guidelines for Healthy Screen Use
Firstly, we need to be intentional about the kind of content we engage with on our screens. Avoid wasting our time on useless content and only watch or read the things we truly enjoy.
Secondly, we need to set aside time to engage with social media and avoid mindlessly refreshing the page whenever we feel bored. Try asking yourself if you really want to engage with social media before opening the app. Are you really interested in what’s happening, or are you just bored?
We also need to set limits for ourselves in order to avoid engaging in social media at inappropriate times. We should avoid using social media right when we first wake up or right before going to bed, for instance.
We can also set regular breaks for ourselves whenever we sit in front of a computer for too long.
We don’t necessarily have to change everything at once. We can start with one small change today: avoid using our phones while we eat.
Even if we fail to keep to this rule today, we don’t need to punish ourselves or feel guilty. Every day is a new opportunity to improve!
Final Thoughts
We can’t cut off all screens from our lives since they have become an integral part of modern society. However, we do need to make sure we don’t become excessively addicted to any specific screen, especially right before bedtime.
All we need to do is make sure we follow a balanced time schedule and make the necessary small adjustments to our screen use in order to improve our lifestyles.