Our screen time usage has skyrocketed since the beginning of the pandemic. Americans now average 4 hours per day just on their phone and are spending 12 hours connected to media, according to Nielsen’s latest study.
The younger generations are spending the most time on their phone and older are watching TV. Overall, all Americans are spending more time than ever before sitting in front of screens or scrolling their screens.
What does this mean?
Most non-essential businesses have moved to remote work and now hours that used to be spent in a team meeting are spent in front of a camera and screen. Many children are doing online schooling, so their screen time has jumped too.
Not to mention, “Doomscrolling” as CNN calls it, is the eternal scrolling on social media apps that we all are guilty of. There is no denying that technology has us addicted. We can’t survive without our phones, and our devices are what is allowing us to connect even during a global pandemic.
What are the effects?
The effects of screen usage are still so early to know the true effects, but mental health groups and other studies have definitely revealed some alarming data.
The 2021 State of Mental Health in America Report says that 9.7% of children are identifying as depressed, which is up from last year. There was also a 93% increase in anxiety screens done in 2020 compared to the year before.
The increase can be caused by many economic issues looming from the pandemic, but there is also something else to consider. More screen time means more exposure to blue light.
Blue light radiates from our phones, our TVs, our computers, our gaming systems, and even in LED lighting around our house. LED lighting overall is better for sustainability because it uses less power, but LED lights to emit blue light which has been proven to have a negative effect on humans.
Blue light reduces your melatonin production, causes eyestrain and headaches, and can affect your sleep patterns. Poor sleep patterns can lead to other health issues, including mood to weight gain.
A solution to this overexposure to blue light is to wear blue-light-blocking glasses. BluTech Lenses is a leader in blue light blocking technology and we recommend you find a retailer today.
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