In today’s digital age, where you have to spend over 11 hours in front of screens, your fitness takes a considerable toll. Conventions of experts worldwide still have to develop a solid study that directs the harmful effects of too much screen time and ways to reduce it.
Among the many harmful effects of excessive screen time, the most obvious is the straining of eyes. But that’s not where it stops—sitting for long hours in front of screens, whether your computer at the office or your T.V when binge-watching Netflix, triggers tension in muscles and pain in your body.
The most commonly observed effects of excessive screen time are fatigue, overeating, back and neck ache, and unproductivity. Since giving up your use of screens is not a practical solution, you can make a few changes in your routine to help counter the harmful effects.
So, let’s get started with improving your health with the following fitness tips for screen users.
Beware Of Blue Light
First things first, blue light is short-wavelength light from the visible spectrum. And is considered to be the most harmful one a well. Blue light is emitted from LED light bulbs and most LED screens.
The deep penetration of blue light in your retina can cause severe and, at times, permanent damage. However, there is no substantial evidence to define how harmful blue light is, some commonly agreed-upon risks.
Blue light can cause anything from eye irritation to muscle degeneration. And prolonged exposure to this light is only going to amplify the harmful effects. So how do you limit blue light exposure or get it under control?
There are several ways to go about that. For starters, apps like f.lux allow you to control or completely filter blue light from your screens. A more old-school way of doing so would be to get an anti-glare tinted filter for your screen. However, most mobiles, gadgets, and laptops feature an inbuilt blue light filter these days. And if not for that, you can go to your computer’s display settings and turn up the display’s temperature.
By turning up the temperature of your display, you block all or most of the blue light. And that too without compromising the color depth or other display settings. You will notice an immediate difference in how your eyes react to the screen when you filter blue light.
Also, excessive exposure to blue light can compromise your sleep quality. Using screens near bedtime will trick your body into believing it’s still daylight, and you’ll have trouble falling asleep. A rule of thumb is to stop screen usage at least 2 hours before you plan on sleeping.
Improving Your Posture
Typically, the very first victim of prolonged screen time is your posture. It is only natural for your body to slump under its weight when you have to sit in the same position for nearly ten hours a day. And as a result, you start experiencing neck and back pain, headaches, and minor episodes of stress.
An ideal way to deal with it is to include regular exercise into your day. Working out will not only keep your health and weight in check but also improve your posture. When going to the gym, indulge more in exercises that allow you to stretch your spine fully.
Exercises like hanging-knee tucks, hanging neck extensions, child’s position on the mat, and the ground with your hands while standing all stretch your spine and the muscles surrounding it. This will relieve any tension in your muscles and will allow you to have an upright posture.
Moreover, make sure that you’re sitting in an upright position in front of the screen with a good backrest. An ideal backrest supports the lower bend of your spine and covers up your entire upper back. If your office chair doesn’t feature this, you can use a cushion instead.
Also, there are numerous posture correction belts available in the market today. Buying yourself one and wearing it to work under your shirt is going to keep stress, tension, and pain away.
Be Mindful Of What You Eat
Something that we all agree upon is our abnormal eating habits when sitting in front of a screen. 3-4 cups of coffee a day, going through an entire bag of chips and eating more ice-cream than we meant to are all the happenings of our daily life.
Such unhealthy eating habits eventually lead to a number of health issues, including depression and anxiety. This is why it essential to keep track of what you eat and how much you eat it.
Instead of putting your faith in junk, go for a healthier alternative when having cravings. You can also order kratom for anxiety from kratom krush to get instant relief.
But in the longer run, you need to make some changes in your diet to get the best of your health. An effective strategy is to buy single servings of junk food when you crave it. This way, you won’t have to deal with nasty cravings and keep yourself in check so you don’t overeat.
