On more than one occasion they have told us: “don’t sit so close to the TV”, “this is not the time to look at your cell phone”, “be careful with the computer or you will need glasses”.
It is clear that the general culture has the idea that screens can affect our health, both physically and psychologically, however, has it been scientifically proven? Is it really bad to use electronic devices with screens a lot? Let’s see it below.
We have all heard that using screens can affect our health, especially our eyesight. On more than one occasion, our parents, friends or whoever have told us not to sit so close to the TV because we will end up wearing glasses or that we should avoid using the computer at night, because then we will have a hard time falling asleep. In general culture, the belief is well established that screens, which emit powerful light, are not harmless
Is it bad to use screens? Yes. No. Well, it depends. It depends on the use we make of them, how responsible we are and what tricks we use to reduce their impact on our vision, our sleep patterns and our mental health.
It is not the same to spend 9 hours straight in front of a computer without even getting up to go to the bathroom than to do it every half hour, resting our eyes and washing our face to hydrate them a little. Additionally, room lighting and ergonomics influence how healthy our relationship with the screen is.
Health effects
Actually, the thing about screens damaging eyesight is something that, although it is not a lie, it is It has a certain element of myth regarding the fact that they are very harmful This belief has its origins in the sixties, when defective televisions were marketed that emitted too much light, causing vision problems. However, given that we are in the 21st century and there is strong regulation regarding electronic devices, it is highly unlikely that we will find ourselves in such a situation.
However, it is worth noting that, in the long run, Using screens for long periods and without taking proper precautions can lead to some problems both in our eyes and in our sleep hygiene and mental health.
Vision problems
Among the visual problems to highlight is asthenopia or eye strain This problem occurs when you spend too much time focusing on something. When we focus our eyes, the muscles of our eyes tense, with the intention of focusing on the object.
If we spend a lot of time like this, the muscles can become resentful and cause a sensation of discomfort. When we are in front of a screen, this problem can occur faster, since our eyes have to constantly adapt to the brightness of the screen and the darkness of the environment.
Headache
3D technology causes a distortion between the real image and what is perceived by the brain Excessive viewing, especially in children who are still developing visual coordination, can lead to headaches, fatigue and nausea.
It is for this reason that some video game consoles, such as the Nintendo 3DS, whose main attraction was 3D technology, were forced to remove this function, given that their main target audience, children, could have serious headaches.
Muscle pains
When consulting a tablet or smartphone you tend to tilt your head. This movement, if done for a long time and very repeatedly, causes the muscles in the back of the neck to stretch for too long which causes pain.
It may also be the case that we work with the computer in a position that is harmful to our back, acquiring an uncomfortable posture. In fact, it is what causes 2 out of 3 people to complain of muscle pain associated with using screens.
What is most worrying about screens, whether television, computer or mobile, is how they alter biorhythms.
Exposure to artificial light can cause alterations in circadian rhythms , which are the oscillations of biological variables at regular intervals, between 20 and 28 hours, that are synchronized with environmental rhythms such as light or temperature. So to speak, they are the human biological clock, regulating the functions of the organism.
These cycles are closely linked to light stimuli, since the brain associates sunlight with greater physiological activity, while darkness is interpreted as a signal that functions should be inhibited, reaching a minimum of activity between 3:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. 6.00h.
Circadian activity in mammals is triggered by specialized cells in the retina , the light-sensitive part that signals the presence or absence of light. These cells are especially sensitive to bluish wavelengths, such as those of a daytime sky.
The problem with all this is that the brain does not know how to distinguish between sunlight, light from a light bulb, and light from a computer screen. Due to this, and also depending on the type of light and the brightness of the luminous objects, it can induce circadian disruptions and, consequently, problems with sleep and mood. In fact, this has been linked to suffering from health problems such as diabetes, cancer, obesity and depression, although it must be understood that correlation does not imply causation.
How to prevent screens from affecting us?
First of all, the most basic and obvious advice to prevent screens from affecting us is to stop using them. As simple as that. However, taking into account how busy and demanding the society we live in is, in which it is difficult for us to do our obligations on time, together with the fact that we are hyperconnected, makes this advice very easy to say but almost impossible to do.
Fortunately, and especially aimed at those who can hardly afford to turn off their computer at 10:00 p.m., There are some alternatives to prevent the screen from seriously affecting our biorhythms There are special programs, such as F.lux, that allow you to calibrate the intensity of the light, preventing the brain from thinking that it is broad daylight. This application modifies the color of the screen throughout the day, being colder in the morning and warmer at night.
If you have problems with screens due to simple abuse of them, whether by looking at your cell phone too much or staying up late at night playing video games, here the best option you can take is to get healthy and ask yourself if you have a problem with new technologies What message are we going to receive at night? What good is it for us to look at the latest thing that such an influencer has posted at this time?
The computer, mobile phone or tablet, if its use is not strictly necessary, it is better to have them turned off at night. Given that the use of screens is not harmless and that using them at night implies sleep problems, using them without obligation may be due to an addiction to new technologies, something that requires the intervention of a professional.
