Nowadays, it seems that we cannot avoid using different types of devices. Many people conduct their business online via their laptops or smartphones, and we even use these for entertainment – we watch our favorite shows on TV, most people even go to the cinema on a regular basis, and yes, that does count as screen time.
We can freely say that many individuals cannot imagine spending an entire day without going online. Just think about it – what is the first thing you do in the morning? You take your phone and check the Instagram or Facebook feed before even getting out of bed, right? How many times during the day do you take your phone to check the news? Too many, don’t you think? Plus, many of us use social media platforms to share new photos or some other kind of information.
Even though you might not agree with us, we believe that many people are addicted to their phones and that it wouldn’t be easy for them to spend a single day without using them. Just read the survey conducted by fherehab.com and you will understand what we are talking about.
However, screen time can have many negative impacts on both our mental and physical health and also on our children’s well-being. Because of this, we are going to focus on those bad sides of using devices in this article.
Let’s start with the adults. Today, millions of people use technology for work. You might not even have to work online as a freelancer, and you would still be exposed to negative sides of screen time. And what do you do when you come home after a long day at work? Go out and take a walk, or read a book? It’s highly unlikely. Just like most of us, you come home, cook something to eat and put on the latest episode of your favorite series. Do you know that only two hours of screen time daily can largely affect your health?
Obesity
One of the leading causes of obesity is the lack of physical activity. Do you see where we are going? The more time you spend in front of the TV or laptop playing video games the more harm you are doing to your own body because it means that you are not active. The technology is the main reason why this condition is called “the disease of the 21st century”. As you can imagine, not only adults are in danger, but young kids also. So, the next time, instead of sitting your child in front of a tablet and playing them a cartoon so you could have an hour to watch something on TV, you should take them out. Go and ride a bike, play football in your yard, or take them to the park. Literally, anything is better than spending an afternoon indoor.
Vision problems
Furthermore, this problem is obvious, but it still isn’t stopping people from spending their free time glued to their phones. Do you know that there is actually a specific term – “computer vision syndrome”? Basically, this means that when you have too much screen time your eyes get dry and you get a blurred vision, even a headache in the end. Yes, yes, we know, you have to complete your daily tasks and you have a deadline that you have to meet, but the moment you experience any of these, you should take a short break. Guess our moms were right when they used to warn us that the screen time is going to deteriorate our eyesight. You can head out to contactlenses.co.uk to see what can you do about this.
Sore muscles
When you hear these words your mind probably goes straight to a tough workout session. And in most cases, you would be right, but not today. When you use any of these devices, you are either sitting at a desk for an entire day, or you are lying in some unnatural positions. What happens then? You experience some severe pain not only in the muscles but also in your neck, shoulders and lower back.
If you don’t correct this, in the long run, you are running the risk of damaging your joints and spine. If you are in a certain line of business that requires you to sit 8 hours every day in front of a computer, then you should get a proper chair and also take often breaks to do some light exercises and stretch.
Now, let discuss some issue that your kids are likely going to experience if you do not limit their screen time. Let’s be honest, if you do not pay attention, they can spend hours and hours playing their favorite video game and only take a break to eat. Besides, all the above-mentioned issues, we are going to give you some additional reasons why it is of crucial importance to limit the time they spend online.
Poor grades
This one is also obvious. It is quite simple – if your kids spend time online instead of studying for quizzes and doing their homework, they are not going to be able to perform well at school, which means that they are going to get bad grades. Clearly, you cannot completely deny them this, but you have to find that perfect balance between school and having fun. Parenting seems tough, doesn’t it?
Online danger
Before we conclude this article, we are only going to scratch the surface of all the bed impacts the Internet can have on your kid. First of all, there is bullying. Oftentimes, kids can be extremely mean and the only way to be certain that your child is not being bullied by their classmates is not only to restrict their screen time but also to carefully follow everything they do online. It can be extremely difficult to prevent a teenager from having social media accounts nowadays, but you can always supervise them. Again, the golden rule is to find the balance.
Finally, you have to know not only what your kid is searching online, but also who are they communicating with. Even you, a full-grown adult cannot always be certain who is on the other side of that chat room, let alone youngsters. Yes, it has become completely normal to meet people online, but don’t forget that teenagers are very gullible which means that oftentimes they can be in danger without even knowing it.
All in all, in this article, we have discussed some major issues that can occur when you spend too much time online or in front of a TV. Clearly, this is something that cannot be completely avoided, but you should always opt for a day out instead of spending it on the web or watching movies.
