How do overcome from screen time? Most of the time being in the company of some screen keeps us away from human happiness. Making the kids restless.

I remember those days, when our full family gathered, my Mummy with other female relatives and my father with other female relatives used to laugh and joke for hours. I also played for hours with my cousin.

When our father came home from the office. We sat in our drawing area and talked about things here and there.

But nowadays the whole scenario has been changed. We all sit in a room but do not talk with each other.

Today, everyone in the house has a mobile or tab, whether he is a child or an adult. So they prefer to engage themselves in that rather than talk with each other.

No doubt they learn more about the world and here and there matters. But they do not know what is going on in their house even in their life.

I am not an opponent of digitalization but I am advocating using a balanced approach between development and health. Because of what we will do with success. If we are not healthy to utilize these successes?

If we do not take care of it, it can have a profound effect on life. Here are some examples which show how dangerous it is to be a screensaver.

A class 10 student in Kochi became very aggressive when his mother snatched the mobile from him, as he could not live without a mobile for even a minute. He had ended up meeting strangers as well.

I am an eyewitness to this a few days ago when I was travelling on a train and suddenly a child snatched a mobile from my hand. And start playing games.

Before that I saw that he snatched his father and Mother’s mobile, I think it is a common problem. My son also did it.

But when he snatches mine as well as other passengers who sit next to me. And when his father and mother tried to explain he would become aggressive.

A few months back another case of screen-time addiction came to light in Thiruvananthapuram, where the suicide was a first-year student of the degree course. He was depressed and used to get restless when he was not online.

I think these few cases are enough to tell how screen time can disturb the mental well-being and is making the mental health of the youth a sufferer.

What is screen time?

Screen time is the time you are in front of the screen and the activity you do at that time. Used for activities, such as watching movies on mobile and Tv, working on a computer or tab, or playing video games.

Screen time is a lethargic activity, which means that you are physically sluggish during that period.

Several recent research has linked excessive screen time to behavioural health problems, including a sudden increase in people complaining of irritability.

When they are without internet connectivity smartphones and poor concentration. Complaints of greatness or sleeping sickness.

Making us intolerant.

According to the WHO, screen addiction has significantly changed people’s physical activity and sleep routine, which also increases the risk of headache, neck pain, myopia, digital eye syndrome and cardiovascular problems significantly.

Now the cases of eagerness and anxiety have increased a lot not only in children but also in adults.

You can think of it as instant satisfaction from the game you play on mobile. With one click the whole word is present in front of you like the zini of the Aladdin lamp.

Slowly your brain is getting ready to receive this instant thing that you want. Due to this attitude, our tolerance is decreasing. But in practical life, the river of instant gift flow reverses. For any gift, you have to wait and work hard.

Symptoms of screen addiction

Children suffering from screen addiction can adversely affect their growth. Technically they are knowledgeable but in life practicality they are illiterate.

The first one is nomophobia. In this, the need for the internet exceeds all other needs, such as daily hygiene, food and drink, talking to family, etc.

Adults and children also develop an emotional connection to screens under Internet addiction, so it is relatively possible for them to feel alienated from the real world due to this addiction.

Feeling feverish without a mobile phone or internet, distracted, and feeling anxious about limiting screen time. These are the primary symptoms, which are found in the person addicted to screening.

Revenge bedtime procrastination.

A new term revenge bedtime procrastination was introduced for sleeping sickness during lockdown due to covid-19.

During lockdown many people. Because of less physical activity and an inactive life schedule. Will give more time to screen. Especially the youngster who was away from his family.

They spent more of their time playing games, watching movies, or virtual calling. They woke up late, slept late, and there was no hurry. But this lifestyle became dangerous when the government lifted the lockdown. And we went back to our past life schedule.

But our sleeping pattern was not changing. So we start to take revenge with our bedtime. Because we procrastinate about our sleeping time. We sleep late at night and wake up early in the morning has not been completed sleep.

So it impacts our performance and mental wellbeing. The doctor advises that for good health and mental rest we should at least take 6 hours of deep sleep.

Sleep is being disrupted due to being connected to the screen all the time.

Whereas, for the brain to remain healthy, we need deep sleep, because only then does your brain cut old information and makes room in the brain for new information.

But this process gets hindered due to lack of sleep. Thus our ability to retain new information and form new memories decreases.

What is the impact on us? If we do not handle it?

1. It can affect social and personal life.

2. Mental issues like anxiety, depression, anger, and lack of concentration can be common in screen sickness.

3. It can affect our careers and relationships.

4. It Can develop the habit of postponing important tasks means procrastination.

5. There is also a risk of obesity, irregular blood pressure, bone problems etc. due to continuous inactive life.

6. In some recent research, it has also come to the fore that vitamin D is deficient in adults to children. Because they do not go out in sunlight the whole day.

These are 7 rules to manage screen time.

Research conducted by experts at the Canadian Hospital for Sick Children has revealed that the risk of depression and anxiety in children has increased more in the last few months due to excessive screen time. So now it has become necessary to manage Screen Time.

1. You can reduce this time by engaging in outside activities.

2. Set a fixed time of day when everyone is sitting together without gadgets.

3. To limit the screen time of the child, you also have to follow his rules. Take more and more interest in sports with the children themselves.

4. Watching movies and engaging on social media at bedtime is a common problem. If you tell the people to not do. They say if we do not do it, we can’t sleep.

The best way to come out of this sickness is to be a reader. Make the book your best friend

5. My whole work is on the computer and mobile. I am also engaged on different social media platforms. But I am not a screensaver.

Because I include a proper rest period between my work.

When I feel irritable and restless. I leave the screen. I do not use my mobile or computer after 9 PM. So make a proper secluded relationship between professional and personal life.

6. Do mindfulness practice or meditation. Which helps you in the rejuvenation of peace and protects your mind from wandering.

7. The main cause behind any type of addiction. Our emotional weakness. So be an emotional intelligence guy.

So, these are the 7 rules to manage screen addiction and help you overcome f time. Digitalization is essential but not to the extent that it affects our health. And when the health of our youngsters is at the stake. Then it’s better to take precautions. So a balanced approach is essential in which people understand to what extent they need a screen and not.

This means they mindfully divide their priority and entertainment. We can’t exclude priority from our daily routine but we can minimize our entertainment. And divert it to physical activity, which not only fits our health but is effective for our mental wellbeing.

Screen addiction should spoil your health. Be careful, be aware, select priority, minimize entertainment, and do physical activity.

Best of luck.

Thrive your mind, and thrive in your future.

How do overcome from screen time?