Our world’s long history has shown examples of natural adaptation in evolution. Giraffes have grown elongated necks to reach food in trees, snakes have lost their legs to slither into holes, and mice have grown large ears to perceive predators in the night. In the globe’s sunny, hot climates, people gradually adjusted to the weather by their development of dark skin. All of these adaptations rely on the proper time window to evolve.
What exactly has not had the proper window of adjustment? Humans to computer screens. Over the past few years, people have been hit with a train of digitalization. 12 hours a day. That is the average adult screen time in the United States. If that sounds like too much to you, bingo. I get it, computers are great! I happen to be a coding student at the moment, ready to dedicate my career to computers, but too much is too much.
“The things you owe end up owning you” -Tyler Turden
So, what are the negative effects of digital screening?
Perhaps most obvious, our eyes are bearing a huge burden with our exposure to screens, specifically to blue light emissions. Every kind of light is made up of waves that radiate energy. The shorter the wavelength, the greater the energy. Blue light happens to have a very short wavelength, and therefore a powerful, potentially harmful energy. Studies suggest that over-exposure to blue light can deprive us of sleep, and, over time can cause serious, long-term damage to our eyes
Hunching over looking at screens all day also have detrimental effects on our neck and back. As Shirley Meerson, an ageless wellness lifestyle Coach, puts it “as we look down and our head tilts forward, the gravitational pull puts extra weight and stress on the neck and spine. This contributes to the aging process.” As it seems, our society is in a rush to age.
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, digital screening is taking a toll on our mental health. Our brain can only process so much at a time, and with all the information thrown at us at once on our devices, our mind is over-working itself in deciding what is important, and what is not. Developing brains are getting the worst of it. A study at Penn Sate found that “teens are expressing higher rates of depression and loneliness the more time they spend on their phones.” There is no denying that a huge part of digital screening is the use of social media. We are talking about apps that create pressure to seek and gain validation from people you do not even know. How could that possibly cause depression?
“There are moments when all anxiety and stated toil are becalmed in the infinite leisure and repose of nature.” Henry David Thoreau
So, as we stand today, rubbing our strained eyes, massaging our text necks, and anxiously waiting for someone to like our latest vacation pic, what do we do? Get a standing desk? Purchase blue-light protection glasses? Filter the apps we have on our phone? Maybe.
I will take this all a step further and implore a simple solution: return back to Nature. Put the phone down, close your laptop, and see what the great outdoors has in store. Our digital age relies on the artificial. Why not balance that a little bit with the natural? Global Warming and the imminent doom of our planet has (hopefully) scared us into being more “green” conscious by reducing our carbon footprint to protect the environment. But what about actually appreciating our environment? It’s like we are feeding and educating our baby but not taking the time out of our day to play with the baby.
Maybe this will inspire you to take a camping trip with your buddies, hike a mountain, or have a picnic in the park. Most likely, you will just return back to your “smart” device and stress away at whatever you were doing. However, this is just a reminder to take a small step in the right direction. Even if you simply take a break from your work as a coder to walk to the deli and smell a rose, I will consider this blog post a success.
Sources:
https://sciencing.com/examples-evolutionary-adaptation-6131133.html
http://www.bluelightexposed.com/#what-is-bue-light
https://thriveglobal.com/stories/text-neck-is-real-and-its-aging-you/
