How Excessive Device Usage Affects Physical Health and Ways to Mitigate Its Effects

As time goes on, our world is relying on technology more and more each day. Technology is constantly developing, and new tech is introduced more often than ever before with new phones, computers, and other devices being released frequently. With this, young people are using computers and cellphones more than ever. 

While the use of digital technology has many benefits, the constant use takes a toll on our bodies often without us realizing, leading to various physical problems such as:

• Neck and back aches: As we constantly slouch and hunch over our devices, our bodies slowly adapt, leaving us with bad posture and a hunch being present even when the device isn't. 

• Poor sleep patterns: According to research, devices such as phones and laptops can lead to disturbances in sleep patterns due to a change in brain activity.

• Stress and fatigue: Spending too much time on your devices drains you not only mentally, but physically. Studies show that overuse increases stress levels and tires the body.

• Eye strain: Squinting and constantly staring at the bright lights and images on your devices can lead to dry eyes, problems focusing, and various other issues with your eyesight.

As someone who struggles with using my phone too much, I’ve personally felt how the overuse of devices has impacted my physical health. I slowly began to realize that my body aches, sleep struggles, and fatigue were predominantly being caused by the amount of time I was using my phone, and further worsened by my other activities. Over time, I’ve learned to manage my screen time and work on improving my physical health after the damage my device overuse caused. If you’re noticing any of the aforementioned effects of device overuse, try these out and see if they help!

• Taking breaks: As a junior in highschool, it’s nearly impossible for me to avoid using my computer since most of my homework is online. So instead of cutting the amount of time I spend on it, I take vision breaks every 30 minutes to relax my eyes and stretch so my eyes and body don’t get strained.

• Setting limits: One big factor that was contributing to my poor sleep patterns was that I was not only on my phone all the time, but I was always on my phone right before going to bed. To help with this, I put my phone away at least 30 minutes before going to bed to lessen the effects of the blue light on my sleep, and I’ve set limits on the apps I spend the most time on such as TikTok and Instagram.

• Going outside more often: I realized that a big reason I was on my phone so much was that I always needed to be doing something to keep myself occupied. So, I started going outside more. Whether it was on a walk or simply going somewhere with friends, it kept me off of my phone and getting outdoors is beneficial in so many other ways.

Do you feel like you use your phone/devices too much? If so, have you noticed any of these physical effects in yourself? Let us know in the comments!