When Minutes Turn Into Hour: 6 Ways Excessive Screen Time Can Impact Your Eyes And Brain

When was the last time you said 'just five more minutes?' Stay on track of your health, by taking notes on what these side effects of screen time can do to your eyes and brain.

With no age limit, every child and adult is addicted to sedentary screen time. But how much screen time is too much screen time?

There must be a reason why this addiction to doomsurfing your mobile phone, TV screens, computer, etc, after school and at the office can't be put on pause or limited.

WHO Guidelines On Screen Time

In its new guidelines issued by the World Health Organization (WHO), with no specification of age, the organization talks about the importance of physical activity, reducing sedentary time and ensuring quality sleep.

Side Effects Of Too Much Screen Time

Here are six ways that too much screen time can do to your eyes and brain:

• Eye irritation: When you're hooked on your mobile phone, tablets, computer or even television screen, your blinking rate drops by 66%. Maintaining a healthy tear film is crucial for keeping the eyes moist and protecting the eye's surface, which is achieved through blinking. Less blinking leads to less tear film, causing dry, itchy, red eyes.
• Blurry vision: Focusing on one thing for too long makes the tiny muscles in your eyes tired. This often leads to blurry or double vision and even difficulty in switching focus.
• Headache: Most often, people experience headaches after spending too much time looking at the screen. This is because your temple, neck and eyes are stressed from focusing too long on one thing.
• Brain fog: The human body is all interconnected; hence, overexposing your eyes and brain to screen time can trigger cortisol, kill attention span and leave your brain feel scrambled. Now you may know why a child feels irritated when there is a three-second advertisement.
• Moodswings: Like everything else, besides good and informative content, screen time has its disadvantages. Negative news can affect your mood. Studies even proved that those spending six hours or more per day watching screens have a higher risk of depression.
• Poor sleeping habits: 5 minutes of screen time turning into 1 hour? Screen time can delay melatonin, which is your "go to sleep" hormone.

How Much Screen Time Is Too Much?

Sedentary screen time should be no more than 1 hour for children, adolescents, and adults.

One study found that reducing usage of social media or screen time to 30 minutes per day can have a positive impact, such as "significant improvement in well-being."