According to the latest data, adults globally spend an average of six hours and 40 minutes daily using internet-related screens, an increase of 30 minutes per day since 2013.
While expert opinions about the precise effect of screen time on adults differ slightly, there is agreement that children and tweens are not the only ones who should limit their screen time, as medical research suggests that digital screens can adversely affect well-being and biomarkers of stress in adults.
In addition, using screens for social media and gaming can become addictive. If this happens, the impact on daily life is significant and can adversely affect individual health, family life, and finances.
A 2022 study conducted in Denmark provided experimental evidence that reducing digital screen time positively impacted the mental well-being and mood of the adults involved in the trial. The study used the WHO-5 Well-Being Index at the start and end of the study period to measure the impact of screen reduction.
Further to this study, experts believe that screen time can potentially cause digital eye strain, impaired sleep, and worsened mental health in adults. So, how much time spent using screens is too much?
There are no screen time guidelines for adults in the same way as there are for children. The main reason is that children and tweens are at an important stage of their lives when they are developing social and emotional skills, which can be adversely impacted by excessive screen time.
This does not apply to adults. However, they must still consider screen time and how it’s impacting their lives. Often, this involves paying attention to the type of screen time rather than simply the amount of time spent using screens. For example, watching a documentary online or participating in mindfulness may not have the same adverse outcomes as low-attention-span activities like constantly scrolling Instagram and consuming social media.
However, there are still limits to consider. While binge-watching an entire season of nature programs may be educational, it can also disrupt sleep patterns and make it hard to concentrate in the following days. To determine if they are spending too much time using digital screens, there are certain factors adults should consider.
These factors include sleeping well, eating well, socializing with others, having a good work-life balance, and being physically active. If any of these areas are not as they should be, excess screen time could hurt physical and mental health.
There are also risks of addiction to activities connected with digital screen time, simply called “screen time addiction”, such as social media use and gaming. Adults who become addicted to these activities often neglect other areas of their lives, resulting in health issues and damage to their working lives and personal relationships.
Precise figures regarding the levels of addiction to social media are difficult to determine. Still, we get some idea of the size of the problem from various research projects, including one set of research figures suggesting that 40% of American social media users aged 18-22 who were asked recognized they may be addicted to social media.
A study in 2021 suggested that 3-4% of gamers could be addicted globally. In the US, researchers suggest that between 1.7% and 10% of the population could be addicted to gaming. While these figures do not relate to adults only, they show us there is a problem that makes the availability of responsible gaming practices necessary to help individuals control their online gaming activity.
High levels of screen time for adults can be problematic in various ways. Spending too much time using screens and the type of use involved can adversely affect mental health, cause eye strain, and impair mood. Given the damage that screen time can cause, it’s just as important for adults to monitor time spent using digital screens as it is for children and tweens. If screen time adversely impacts their life, they must also act to reduce it.
Setting limits is a good starting point. Modern electronic devices like smartphones, tablets, computer monitors, and TVs include technology that monitors usage time. It’s easy to gauge time spent using screens and to set alarms to indicate when set time limits are reached.
Also, it’s essential to take regular screen breaks to let the brain and eyes rest from the lightning and glare. Experts suggest looking away from the screen to a distance of around twenty feet for at least twenty seconds every twenty minutes. They also recommend taking regular breaks of 5-10 minutes every hour.
It’s never a good idea to eat in front of a screen. Snacks and mealtimes should be set aside and away from devices. This time spent eating also gives people time to interact with each other, which improves social engagement in households.
Social engagement has been impacted by the phubbing phenomenon, which is part of the screen time discussion. Phubbing is phone snubbing, and it involves people ignoring those around them in favor of time spent using their phones. Being aware of this and actively attempting to spend time talking with others who are present instead of scrolling on a smartphone improves the mood and mental health of both the phone user and those they are interacting with.
Experts also suggest keeping screens out of the bedroom where possible. Doing this removes the temptation to use screens during the half-hour directly before sleep. Using screens during this time can disrupt the natural circadian rhythm over time and affect the body’s ability to recognize when to wake up and when to wind down. This can be detrimental to adult health even if screen time at other times of day is not problematic, leading to sleeping disorders.
It is essential for all adults who use digital screens to be aware of the impact of screen time and measure individual use. This applies whether individuals believe they have a problem with screen usage or not, as it’s difficult to recognize a problem without taking a close look at the amount of time spent using a screen, the time of day when usage occurs, and the type of activity involved.
