All of us are driven by technology in this fast-paced life. Almost all of our work is done on mobile phones and laptops. It is difficult to stay without them even after knowing the harmful effects of their prolonged use. Most of us scroll through our Instagram feed late at night or binge-watch. Extended screen time usage can adversely affect the quality of your sleep and your eyes. This is because the blue light emitted from these digital screens can affect your health in many ways. However, you can reverse this complication by practising blue light detox and ensuring you stay healthy.
How Is Blue Light Harmful?
It is important to understand that any form of light on earth contains blue light, including sunlight. Blue light, particularly the one we get from the sun, is important as it controls our sleeping cycle. However, due to increased artificial blue light, our sleeping pattern gets disrupted. It suppresses the production of melatonin in your body, which is essential in regulating your sleep cycle. This results in poor sleep quality, leading to other sleep conditions. In addition, blue light is harmful to your skin as well. It is high-energy visible light that can gradually penetrate your skin. It can cause hyperpigmentation in your skin and also results in the breakdown of collagen.
Tips To Go On A Blue Light Detox
Fix your timings
Schedule your screen time and switch the settings to night mode to reduce its effects. You should try to stay away from your phones as soon as you wake up and before sleeping. Instead, practise healthy habits like reading before bedtime. This will help your body to produce a good amount of melatonin in your body.
Also Read: Importance Of Taking A Break From Screen To Avoid Digital Eye Strain
Start With Small Steps
It is difficult to cut your screen timings and make big changes suddenly. Therefore, start by taking small steps. Plan to go without your phones or laptops for an hour and gradually increase it. You can begin by turning off your notifications to prevent distractions.
Follow the 20-20-20 rule when working from home
Take frequent breaks while working to reduce eye strain. You should take breaks every 20 minutes and look at distant objects(about 20 feet away) for about 20 seconds to shift your focus and give yourself a break.
Do not keep your digital screens too close to your eyes. Maintain a distance of at least 50 cm between the screen and your eyes.
Avoid using phones or laptops at least two hours before your bedtime. Do not keep your mobile under your pillow or near your bed. This will help you improve your sleeping pattern.
Symptoms Of Digital Eye Strain
- You may have blurry vision and difficulty focusing.
- You may have dry eyes and eye irritation.
- You may get headaches or suffer from neck and back pain.
- You have trouble sleeping which leads to fatigue and drowsiness.
Takeaway
Blue light can increase the chances of cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, and retinal damage. In addition, it has an adverse impact on your sleep which in turn gives rise to many health conditions like digestive problems, decreased immunity, and fatigue. You should blink your eyes frequently while using digital screens to reduce the strain on your eyes. Follow some of these tips to keep yourself healthy and ensure better productivity at your work. You should follow some of these tips to keep yourself healthy and ensure better productivity at your work.
