In this technologically advanced age we are in, screens are everywhere. Many of us have computers at work, we have a cell phone in our pocket, and a TV waiting for us as soon as we get home. They are in bars, at airports, doctors’ offices, there is even a tablet at each table in many restaurants. We can hardly go a day without running into a dozen or more screens. This constant inundation of information, entertainment, and communication isn’t normal. It starts to have effects on our brains, our mental state, our moods, and even our health. There is a great need for us to reset our priorities and go back to seeing our devices as tools and not something we cannot go a day without. We need to stop being so addicted to screens.
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The trap of the screen
The problem isn’t that screens are everywhere, its that they are addicting. There is a constant stream of stimuli just waiting for you. Your mom texted you and wants a reply. The buzz of your phone is telling you that someone liked your latest Instagram post. A chime from your computer reminds you of the list of emails you have yet to read or respond to. Even now, you are reading this blog post from the glow of a screen!
There are so many ways that they pull us in. Emails can be important or can just be from somewhere we don’t want to waste the time unsubscribing from. Social media is nice because we can stay connected with old friends and family, but it creates a constant stream of overstimulating videos and pictures, causing you to keep scrolling and scrolling. There is the news, movies, and your favorite show on a Friday night. Computer games, video games, and the all beloved candy crush calling from your phone. There are texts and phone calls to keep up with. It is just integrated into every part of our lives, but it doesn’t have to be this way.
We need to learn how to set limits, and boundaries so we can take back our days, and the time that is so precious to us, so it isn’t slipping away more and more each day.
The average person
So, you might not even realize how much you do it. I know I didn’t. My phone has been programed to tell me each weekend how much screen time I have had that week. It tells me if it went up or down, and the average time spent each day. I was shocked to see that the time I was spending each day wasn’t just a few minutes, not even an hour or two, but several hours of active screen time each day.
And I know it’s not just me that struggles with this. In fact, the average person spends 6 hours and 37 minutes every day in front of a screen. If they have a desk job then it is even higher. For phone time alone its just under five hours a day. Thats five hours not interacting with family and friends. Five hours not spending time outside and enjoying the beauties that are all around us. Almost five hours not doing something creative with their hands, working on a puzzle, or reading.
The worst part is the addiction runs so deep that its difficult to even keep our hands off our device. The average person picks up their phones 96 times a day. If that person is awake for 16 hours, then that is about every ten minutes they have to pick up their phone to check something. Americans are even worse at an average of 144 which puts it closer to every 6 and a half minutes.
It adds up fast…
In just one year, a person who has spent five hours a day, every day on their phone, will have spent over 76 days glued their phone.
Those who spend 6 hours and 37 minutes in front of a screen every day will have spent a cumulative 100 days missing out of the world around them.
It really puts that into perspective, doesn’t it? How often do we say that we don’t have enough time to ___? To go out with friends, to learn that new skill, to start our own business? It just takes so much time. But if we were to put down the phone, turn off that show, or put away the gaming console for even just two hours a night, think about how much more we could learn, explore, and all the new memories we would make!
Do you need a detox?
You are probably thinking something like, ‘wow, that’s a lot of time those people waste, but I’m not that bad. I spend time in front of a screen, sure, but not that much.’ If you need proof, you can check your phone. There should be place in the ‘settings’ app that nicely keeps track of all that for you. Do the math after you curl up with a bag of chips or that left over pan of cinnamon rolls and binge your favorite show. How many 45 minute episodes did you just see? Yeah, it adds up fast.
But its not just the numbers that show us we have been indulging in too much screen time. Even our bodies send us signals telling us they have had too much. There have been studies that show increased depression, irritability, frustration, and anger. People have reported feeling more insecure, getting less sleep, and feeling obligated to be near a screen.
An easy way to tell if you spend too much time on your phone is to leave it in another room, then set a timer for an hour. If you keep reaching for the pocket it is in, or looking for it, you probably have a problem. (And if your brain just can up with excuses for why you shouldn’t do that, you for sure need a detox.)
The mark of the screen
Being strong enough to break a habit is good motivation but it might not be enough to get you to actually do a detox and lower your screen time. The screens do start to change us by leaving their mark on more than just our moods. There are changes that happen changing the actual tissue and pathways in our brains. As stated before, our moods change but our sleep patterns also differ, and our vision suffers.
The brain
Those who have addictions to online gaming, be it computer games or video games, suffer from grey matter atrophy. The grey matter of their brains, the part responsible for planning, organizing, impulse control, all the critical cognitive function, actually weakens. The reward pathways also change which makes it difficult to get joy or happiness from things outside of a screen.
After large amounts of screen exposure, the brains cortex starts to thin. The critical thinking and reasoning decreases because of this. This can cause an increase stress and irritability.
After repeated exposure the structure of the brain starts to become impaired, specifically the frontal lobe. One of the things this part of the brain is responsible for is language production. When this part of the brain suffers, so do our language skills which can make it more difficult to interact in social settings. Read more about the effects of screen time on the brain, especially in children, here.
Blue light
You have probably heard of blue light and how it can affect sleep. This is because the light causes our brain to think it is still day which disrupts our circadian rhythm and reduces the production of melatonin which is the main sleep hormone. When we are just checking emails, scrolling on Instagram, and watching movies before bed to unwind, we are actually making it more difficult for ourselves to relax, be tired, and actually fall asleep.
Vision
There is a condition known as computer vision syndrome. This occurs when our eyes are made to continually focus on a close object, like a screen, for long periods of time. This is often seen in those with desk jobs. It happens because the eyes are focused for so long they do not get a chance to relax and are under constant tension. This can lead to headaches, neck and shoulder pain, eye strain, irritation, dryness, and blurred vision.
If you do have a desk job and are required to sit in front of a screen there are a few things you can do to avoid having this become your reality. Practice the 20-20-20 rule. Every twenty minutes or so, spend twenty seconds focusing on something that is at least twenty feet away. This allows your eyes to focus on something else and relax. It’s the eye equivalent to getting up to stretch your legs after sitting for a long time.
Ensuring you are getting enough sleep, as in seven to eight hours, is also important. If you are only getting a few hours of rest each night you aren’t giving your eyes sufficient time to rest and relax before going and doing it all over again the following day. This is especially true if you pick up your phone as soon as you wake up.
Starting to detox
None of us want to have sore eyes, heads, or necks from screen use. We want to be alert, be less stressed, and be able to interact better in social situations. Right? So what are some ways we can break the hold that electronics have over us and allow ourselves time to heal and enjoy the little moments?
Set limits on apps
Most phones these days have automatic screen time tracking. Within settings you can set limits for certain apps, or for the phone itself. You can have just a reminder that you have met your time limit, it can turn off the app you are using, you can even have it password protected and have someone else know the code so you aren’t tempted to continue using it. This can be super helpful when trying to break the habit of picking up your phone a hundred times a day.
I would start by finding out how many hours you spend each day, then set limits on the apps you frequent. If you find yourself spending three hours each day scrolling on Instagram, set a limit for two hours. You still have a ton of access, but it is significantly less. Then in a week or two lower it to an hour and a half and keep going until you are happy with the amount of time you are on it.
There is a solution if video games or binge watching is a problem for you. TVs might not have this feature where you can set a limit, but you can set a timer when you sit down to play or watch. When the timer goes off either stop or set another short timer to remind you again that you have exceeded your time. We often don’t realize how much of our day flies by while we are looking at screens.
No phone zones
Have places in your house or your life that you won’t pick up your phone. Try places like the dinner table, use that time to connect with those you love and talk to them face to face. The bathroom is another great place. No reason your quick bathroom break needs to become a 45 minute period where you sit and get lost doom scrolling through the news. Put the phone down, do your business, and get out of there. If you drive with friends or family a few times a week, keep your phone tucked away so you can enjoy the scenery, the conversation, and connect with those you are with.
Make a commitment
Set a boundary, or a few of them for how you want to detox. Maybe take a weekend and put your phone away altogether. Maybe it is just aiming for less than 3-4 hours of phone time a day and only one episode instead of three as soon as you get off work. But pick something and stick with it. Make a screen saver on your phone reminding you of this commitment. If you are a planner, write out what your end goals are and how you are going to achieve them over the next few months. Put up sticky notes on your computer and TV so you are reminded of these goals.
Make a plan then put it into practice. Don’t fall back into old habits just because it is hard. Find things to repalce your screen time. Go for a walk, make a laof of bread, brew a pot of tea, create something meaningful with your hands. Don’t just sit there wishing for a screen. Do something productive with that down time, even if it is just reading a book!
Do it with friends
The best way to stick with something or to break a habit is to do it with someone. Have someone do this with you, a spouse, a sibling, a coworker, a friend (even a whole group of them). Keep each other accountable. Celebrate milestones and victories. Be there to encourage each other after a loss or a screen time “relapse”.
Once you start looking for places to be more intentional with your time and start practicing staying away from screens, it does get easier. Don’t become discouraged if you still check your emails while waking up the stairs, or if you get lost in a season of your favorite show on a rainy Saturday. These kinds of habits are so hard to break. The important part is just taking baby steps and trying. There will be good days and bad days, just keep going. You will make progress and you will get to a point where it is no longer as difficult as it is now.
You can do it!
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