Smartphones, computer monitors, network-connected televisions, or game consoles can negatively affect both physical and mental health, doctors claim. Additionally, excessive use of electronic gadgets can unfavorably affect eating habits. Not surprisingly, digital hygiene is becoming a frequently discussed topic. Lack of it can lead to serious consequences.
According to NASK research, almost 7% of respondents admit to using the internet for more than 12 hours a day. The largest group, constituting 28%, are people who use the internet between 2 to 4 hours daily.
– Excessive screen devices, most often smartphones among teenagers, as well as game consoles, TV monitors where we stream movies, for example, generally have an adverse effect, both on the so-called physical and psychological sphere, – says Prof. Mariusz Panczyk from the Faculty of Health Sciences at the Medical University of Warsaw to the Newseria Biznes news agency.
In the case of physical aspects, it concerns problems related to a sedentary lifestyle, often in an incorrect position, with the head leaning towards the smartphone screen. Replacing physical activity with digital entertainment affects body posture and instills bad habits. It can lead among others to musculoskeletal complaints, sleep disorders, fatigue, vision and hearing problems, worsening mental well-being, trouble with concentration, a decrease in social relations, accidents and injuries. Serious consequences also affect the psychological sphere.
– This can refer to cases of violence, hate received on the internet, on social media. They are also psychological effects related to the perception of one’s body when we compare ourselves to what we see on the internet, especially on social networks, which can generate a number of problems, such as nutrition disorders, – underlines Prof. Mariusz Panczyk.
An antidote to a range of ailments and problems arising from the overuse of screen devices is the observance of digital hygiene rules, something that is not only encouraged by psychiatrists, psychologists, opticians, or orthopedists but also electronic device manufacturers.
–Digital hygiene is quite a new term, yet it’s been linked to human behaviour for many years. Digital hygiene is a set of behaviors designed to protect us from the negative effects of digital technologies, which, when excessively used, simply harm us, regardless of whether we are teenagers or adults. This concept is related to the well-known maxim: it’s better to prevent than to cure, that is, it’s better to take health-preserving actions than to later treat the negative effects of certain behaviors,– explains the expert from the Medical University of Warsaw.
Health science specialists are increasingly mentioning the negative impact of the lack of digital hygiene on eating habits. Snacking while browsing through favorite videos or consuming meals in the company of a smartphone can have serious consequences. According to a NASK study presented during the 8th National Nutrition Congress, half of the teens admit to using their phones during meals. Only 14.7% of the respondents said that they never engage in such practice.
–We do not focus on what we eat, how we consume and chew our food. If we spend time in a restaurant or have a family meal, screen devices, usually connected to the internet, make the meal consumption not as desirable as we would like,– notices Prof. Mariusz Panczyk.
In the opinion of specialists, following digital hygiene means having the ability to set limits for oneself. In this area, it’s crucial to be aware of the benefits of such “self-limitation”. According to the Nationwide Digital Hygiene Survey from November 2022, nearly two-thirds of the surveyed adult internet users believe that they spend too much time on screen devices: 38.5% think they spend rather a lot, and 25.9% – too much. Respondents admit that they do not follow the healthy habits of digital hygiene. For example, only 14% of those surveyed monitor their screen time, 22% limit the number of notifications on their phone, slightly over 9% avoid using screen devices before sleep, and 18% – putting the phone next to or in bed before sleep.
–While it may be easier for an adult who spends 6 hours in front of a computer screen at work to then maintain digital hygiene at home, because often they are already fed up with screens, it is much more difficult to enforce and show the rules of digital hygiene to the youth, and of course, not only at home but also at school,– notes the expert from the Faculty of Health Sciences at the Medical University of Warsaw.
The authors of the study indicate that adults who do not follow the rules of digital hygiene provide children and adolescents with improper behavioral patterns in this area.
–Teenagers or children have been in touch with smartphones, the internet, screen devices almost from birth, hence the protective role of parents is extremely important to introduce these devices in a controlled manner and to accompany the child when they use screen devices. Of course, in the case of teenagers, initiating a dialogue with the young person is extremely important, as prohibitions do not always fulfill their role,– emphasizes the expert.
In this aspect, it is worth remembering that in the case of digital hygiene, it is not only about limiting contact with the screen but also with headphones. If we go for a bike ride, take a scooter or get into a car, we should remember to give up the overload of hearing with excessive noise. Giving up the smartphone in favor of walking, jogging or any other activity should bring many beneficial results, which will translate into health and a better quality of life.
