6 easy ways to limit the effects from too much screen time

Long screen timings are much more common these days as the world currently relies on computing technology. Some common symptoms of spending hours looking at the screen can cause eye strain, dry eyes, headaches and insomnia. With the on-going pandemic, situations around human beings are forcibly locked up working from their homes without any specified limit.

Recent studies from world-class optometry specialists determine that poor eye health is becoming so common these days that it is affecting overall health. Staring for long hours and blinking fewer causes reduced eyesight and excessive focusing on digital displays without maintaining the optimal distance is causing harm. Let us look at 6 different ways to lower these harmful effects caused by screen timing:

 

Maintain optimum distance

A certain distance should be maintained between the screen and the eyes. Being closer than the required distance affects the eyesight and later makes it harder to observe closer things. Keep your monitor at least 25 inches away or about an arm’s length and position the eyes directed slightly downward. This reduces the negative impact of radiation, affecting the eyesight directly. Radiations not only affect eyesight but also pose threat to the nervous system.

 

Set the optimum brightness

If the quality of the screen picture is brighter than the surrounding light of the room then it can make us difficult to work for long hours. High brightness directly affects the cornea and tends to damage the sensory cells thus, blurring our vision. So, it is strictly advised to wear an antiglare glass or use a matte screen filter on your monitor to reflect lesser radiations. If the room lights fail to cope with your screen brightness then try increasing the contrast on your screen.

 

Reduced use of technology before bed

Night-time is meant for complete rest. It is the time when our body undergoes self-healing and rejuvenation. Being too exposed to devices such as smartphones, PC, tablets or televisions gradually causes insomnia. The blue light reflected from phones and tablets affects the body’s natural wake and sleep cycle. The blue light is good during the day as it wakes us up and stimulates us. However, if the same thing occurs at night, sleeping patterns get disturbed which in turn causes various health issues.

Maintain a 20-minute break between hours

Rather than working for prolonged hours on the screen, a 20-minute break at the end of each hour is itself a self-booster to relax the muscles of the eye. It also reduces the excitability of the brain nerves. Relaxation restores the conditions of the eye from a lot of strain back to normal. The next time you work after such a break reduces the chances of being disoriented at work. It also freshens up the mind and opens certain portals of your brain that have been functioning monotonously.

 

Reduce the screen glare

Certain screens have a quality that creates glare and reflects more light. Try maintaining or adjusting optimum brightness, contrast and colour saturation levels in those screens that are most soothing to the eye. If you cannot adjust or optimize your screen glare then try matching it with the surrounding light intensity so that no difference is created in the intensity of radiations entering into your eye. This is an important point to be maintained for people whose work duration is long.

 

Avoid dry eyes

Since people often develop the habit of blinking less due to spending hours on their screen, dry eyes is a common phenomenon. It completely reduces the watery nature of your eyes and causes burning and irritation. Once can use artificial tear agents and keep them nearby to use when necessary. Also, lack of proper moisture or prolonged exposure to AC can cause the same. Hence, a desktop humidifier can introduce moisture into your eyes and give some relief.