Physical effects of excessive screen time

Margaret is a 29-year-old graphic designer living in a fast-paced, tech-driven world. Like many professionals in her field, she spent hours upon hours staring at computer screens, editing images, managing client requests, and sending emails. Her job was demanding, but she loved it. Lately, Margaret had noticed that she had been experiencing frequent headaches and perceived discomfort in her neck and shoulders. Initially, she brushed these symptoms aside, attributing them to stress or perhaps lack of sleep. After all, deadlines were tighter than ever, and her work-life balance had been in favor of work for months. But she never realised was that the screen time, the very thing that allowed her to excel in her career was also the cause of her growing discomfort.

The First Signs: Eye Strain

It started with her eyes. Margaret noticed that her eyes were often dry and tired by the end of the workday. Her vision would blur slightly when she shifted her focus from the screen to her surroundings. It became harder for her to concentrate for extended periods, and the constant need to blink or rub her eyes was a new, unwelcome habit. She was unaware she was suffering from what is known as Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS).

CVS is a term used to describe a range of eye-related issues caused by prolonged exposure to screens. The harsh blue light emitted from screens can cause eye fatigue, and the constant focus on digital devices leads to a significant strain on the eye muscles. Most of the time, Margaret forgot to blink while staring at her computer, which made her eyes even drier and more irritated.

As time passed, her symptoms worsened. She experienced frequent headaches, particularly around her forehead. These weren’t the result of stress alone but her constant staring at bright screens, combined with poor ambient lighting in her home office, was overworking her eye muscles. Yet, she had deadlines to meet, and clients were counting on her to deliver.

The Physical Toll: Posture Issues

While eye strain was affecting her ability to focus, another problem was lurking in the background, her posture. Margaret hadn’t paid much attention to how she sat at her desk. In the beginning, she worked from home with an ergonomic chair and a desk, but as her workload increased, she often found herself sitting on the couch or lying-in bed while working on her laptop. She thought it was harmless, after all, it was more comfortable than sitting at her desk all day. But the physical consequences were building up quietly. She would often hunch forward, her shoulders rounded, as she worked on her projects. Her neck craned towards the screen, putting immense pressure on her spine. She often rested her wrists at awkward angles, exacerbating tension in her arms and shoulders. At first, she didn’t notice the effects, but soon enough, she found herself with constant back pain and stiffness that wouldn’t go away.

After a long weekend of working on a major project, she woke up one morning with searing pain in her neck and upper back. She could barely move as her muscles were tight, and her spine was misaligned. A trip to the doctor revealed that she had developed text neck, a condition caused by the forward head posture that comes from bending the neck to look at screens for prolonged periods. Her doctor explained that the weight of her head, normally balanced when standing upright, became significantly heavier when she leaned forward to look at her screen. Over time, this added pressure on her neck and upper back muscles, leading to tension, stiffness was responsible for the chronic pain. Additionally, sitting in one place for hours at a time without taking breaks was contributing to a weakening of her core muscles, causing more stress on her lower back.

The Wake-Up Call

1- Determined to make changes, she sought help from an ophthalmologist, chiropractor, and physical therapist. The ophthalmologist prescribed computer glasses with blue-light filters to reduce the strain on her eyes, while her chiropractor and physical therapist worked with her to correct her posture and strengthen her muscles.

2- She invested in a height-adjustable standing desk and a proper ergonomic chair to encourage better posture. She adjusted the lighting in her home office, reducing the glare from her screen, and set up reminders to take breaks every 30 minutes to give her eyes and body a rest.

3- She began practicing the 20-20-20 rule: for every 20 minutes of screen time, she would look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds, giving her eyes a much-needed break.

4- She incorporated physical activities like walking, exercise, or yoga into your daily routine to counterbalance sedentary time.

5- She avoided screens at least an hour before bed. This was to establish a bedtime routine and create a sleep-friendly environment to help restore melatonin levels.

The Road to Recovery

It took time, but gradually, Margaret’s symptoms began to improve. Her headaches became less frequent, her eyes were no longer as dry and tired at the end of the day, and the tension in her back and neck started to subside. Currently, Margaret is more mindful of how she interacts with her screens. While her career still demands long hours in front of a computer, she has learned the importance of balancing screen time with self-care, ensuring that she can continue to excel in her work without sacrificing her health.