Technology may be the ultimate double-edged sword of the modern age. On the one hand, it allows us easier access to information. It is a means of keeping up with the people we care about — on the other, it provides opportunities for mindless scrolling that soon results in sensory overload. While spending hours on devices may seem harmless at first, emerging evidence shows that it has damaging effects on your overall health and wellbeing. Read on to learn how.

Overusing Devices Affects Your Life

Looking at phones, computers, TVs, or any other electronic device may seem like an innocuous way to pass the time and an unavoidable means of getting work accomplished. Research has shown that it can delay child development and potentially lead to behavioral issues, and harm adult health, causing short-term symptoms and long-term diseases.

Mental Health

According to studies, adults who overindulge in screen time are far more likely to experience depression. Using electronics is a passive activity, and an inactive lifestyle is known to increase depression.

You may think that you have to be on a device for most of the day for these ill-effects to occur. But, research has shown that even just an hour a day of staring at a screen causes the following symptoms in adults.

• Distraction
• Emotional instability
• Unable to finish tasks
• Difficulty feeling satisfied
• Impaired sense of wellbeing
• Lowered curiosity
• Inability to make friends

Physical Health

Too much time spent staring at the screen also results in immediately felt effects such as eye strain, headaches, and pain in your neck, shoulders, and back as your body exhibits poor posture. Long-term effects include carpal tunnel, tendonitis, obesity, and heart disease.

Sleep

Too much screen time, particularly close to bedtime, leads to insomnia and lower quality sleep. This is partly because the blue light emitted from devices suppresses melatonin, making it more difficult for you to fall asleep naturally or get the amount and quality sleep you need to operate at your best. We recommend keeping your phone away from your bed while you sleep, so you’re not tempted to mindlessly scroll before bed. A great habit to introduce is no screens at least one hour before bed.

Spiritual Health and Purpose

Even more than the physically manifested symptoms from too much screen time is the toll it takes on your spiritual well-being. One of the most dangerous things to happen when we spend too much time on devices and social media specifically is that we start to forget our purpose, and our spiritual health is damaged. Social media is easily addictive and leads to people comparing their lives to other people’s as they seek validation that will never be enough to sustain them. This does significant damage to confidence and self-worth.

Faithfully Guided Helps You Live Abundant Life

If you feel the effects of too much screen time, trust the integrated collaborative team at Faithfully Guided. Utilizing a whole-person approach, we are passionate about you living your best, most fulfilled life. During your health journey, we will provide one-on-one coaching to develop healthier habits, supportive and caring counseling services to help you overcome negative comparison feelings, and advice from a knowledgeable team of functional specialists who will help you offset the adverse effects on your body.

Contact us today to get started recovering from your screen addiction and living life happy again.