Too much of it will, absolutely. This is unfortunate news for many of us due to the increased amount of time we are spending in our homes.

In fact, a recent survey showed that 53% of Americans feel burnt out on screens and most Americans spend an average of 12 hours a day looking at a screen! This much screen time is bound to affect your overall health, and our team at AFC Urgent Care Chattanooga highlights why below.

How Does Too Much Screen Time Affect Me?

The most common physical effects of too much screen time include sleep interruptions and eye strain. In addition to these physical effects, too much screen time really has a greater impact on your mental health.

Experts recommend looking at screens for less than two hours a day, and with the majority of Americans greatly exceeding this amount of time, our mental health has suffered. We’ve listed some ways that too much screen time has an effect on mental health below.

Ways Excessive Screen Time Affects Mental Health

• Can lead to mental and emotional health issues like anxiety and depression
• Reduces feelings of curiosity and empathy
• Lowers self-control
• Increases distractibility
• Reduces your ability to finish tasks

How Can I Stop Looking at Screens So Much?

If your job requires time in front of a screen, it can be especially difficult to stop looking at screens so much.

Because many of us simply don’t have a choice to spend less time in front of a screen, it’s important to strive to get some exercise when you can to offset some of those negative impacts of all that screen time. Decreased physical activity is one of the great negative side effects of too much screen time that you may be able to work against, and we’ve listed some creative ways to do so below.

Easy Ways to Get Physical Activity

• Stretch at your desk. Taking a few moments to release neck and shoulder tension can go a long way.
• Do some bicep curls with dumbbells when you take a short work break.
• Stand up and do squats.
• Do some jumping jacks.
• If you don’t work from home, try parking further away or bike or walk to work.
• Take a short walk during your lunch break.

Here at AFC Urgent Care Chattanooga, we really care about your health. If you have any concerns, don’t hesitate to visit us.