There is no other device in the world today that is more integral to our lives than the smartphone. While it was previously just a means of voice communication, the mobile phone is now an indispensable tool that we also use to check work emails and entertain ourselves.
Are you spending too much time on your phone?
According to a 2017 research report by consultancy Ernst & Young, Singaporeans spend an average of 3 hours and 12 minutes on their mobile phones every day. The report also found that nearly 80 percent of the 1,000 respondents check their phones before and after sleeping.
Though smartphones can make our lives more convenient in numerous ways, it also comes with its fair share of pitfalls. While we might often joke about being helplessly “hooked” to our digital devices, the truth of the matter is that smartphone addiction, or “nomophobia”, is very real. In fact, psychiatrists in Singapore had as early as in 2014 called for smartphone addiction to be recognized as a disorder that adversely affects physical and mental health.
While there are no definitive parameters for smartphone addiction, psychology experts have singled out certain behavioural patterns that could indicate an unhealthy obsession with these devices.
Do you think you are suffering from smartphone addiction? Take this short quiz to find out if you are.
Are you addicted to your smartphone?
Simply answer Yes or No to the following questions or statements
- Do you feel anxious when your mobile phone is about to run out of battery?
- Do you use your phone right before you sleep or check it immediately after waking up?
- Do you use your phone while in the restroom?
- Are you almost always using your phone to surf the internet or social media when in the MRT or taxi?
- Do you check your phone more than once when having a meal?
- Do you have more than three messaging apps that you actively use on your phone?
- You would find it very difficult to get through a day without your phone.
- You often feel the need to immediately reply new messages.
- Do you often use your phone while walking?
- You prefer communicating with your friends and family over a messaging app than in person.
If you answered yes five times or more, it’s likely that you’re using your phone a tad too much. It’s time to ween yourself off the device before you develop problems such as digital eye strain which causes eye fatigue. Prolong exposure to blue light may result in an increased risk of muscular degeneration.
Blue light emitted from the tiny screens will cause big vision problems! Using your phone in the dark would potentially cause irreversible damage to your eyes. Here are some easy ways to minimize digital eye strain with a few simple healthy habits:
- Adjust the brightness of your screen or turn on “Night Mode” to ensure that the brightness is about the same as the light level around you. An overly bright or dim screen is stressful on the eyes.
- Install an anti-glare screen protector which helps to reduce the amount of harmful blue light getting to your eyes.
- Nourish your eyes with the right foods – and it doesn’t have to be just carrots.
BRAND’S® Lutein Essence contains essential nutrients such as Zeaxanthin and Lutein which help maintain healthy cells in the eyes and shield your eyes from blue light from your smartphone. One of the ingredients in BRAND’S® Lutein Essence include black currants, which is known for having a high amount of anthocyanins, a compound that mitigates eye damage caused by oxidative stress.
Packed with 10 mg of Lutein and 2 mg of Zeaxanthin (the recommended daily intake for healthy vision), each bottle of BRAND’S® Lutein Essence is the equivalent of chomping on more than a kilogram of carrots!