Screen Time and Eye Strain
We, as a society, are spending more time every year looking at our electronic screens. In fact, statistics show that in 2022 in the US the average person spends seven hours and four minutes per day on screens connected to the internet.
Per Exploding Topics.com
Average Screen Time Stats 2022
- Globally, people average 6 hours 58 minutes of screen time per day.
- Daily screen time has increased by nearly 50 minutes per day since 2013.
- The average American spends 7 hours and 4 minutes looking at a screen each day.
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Almost half (49%) of 0 to 2-year-olds interact with smartphones.
- Gen Z averages around 9 hours of screen time per day.
The statistics are a bit alarming, but not surprising. This raises the question of how all those hours of looking at our screens affect our eyes. I did some research found an article which is very informative, and I wanted to share it with you. The article indicates that though blue light glasses aren’t effective at preventing digital eye strain, there is no harm in wearing them. It discusses the glasses and provides tips to help reduce eye strain. Another interesting article about screen time from Forbes is linked below.
Eye Strain and Blue Light Glasses
How Much Time Americans Spend In Front Of Screens Will Terrify You
How is Your Sleep?
At least a couple nights a week I struggle with getting a full night's sleep, usually more. I got a Fitbit smart watch for Christmas, and it monitors my sleep patterns. After a week or two of wearing it, I was not surprised to find that I have some pretty fitful nights, with being awake for 1-2 hours in the middle of the night. I also found it interesting to see how much time I spent in the various stages of sleep. Sleep deprivation affects many facets of our health and daily life with possible long-term effects. After seeing my sleep patterns, I decided to find out what the normal amount of time is in each sleep stage. I found a couple of informational websites that I wanted to share with you. The Sleep Foundation site has a variety of information including sleep solutions, sleep topics, and sleep disorders.
Sleep plays an integral role in health. A good night’s sleep empowers the body to recover and lets you wake up refreshed and ready to take on the day.
Unfortunately, many people have sleep problems and don’t get the rest that they need. Insufficient sleep and poor quality sleep can be due to diverse factors including sleep disorders, medical conditions, and mental health. Sleep issues affect people of all ages, and its impacts can be far-reaching.
Healthline.com: How Much Deep, Light, and REM Sleep Do You Need
Flu Season is Upon Us
It's that time of year where there are multiple people within our circles that are sick or have recently been sick. It's definitely that time of year when we don't get out in the fresh air as much or we spent a good amount of time in crowded places with the holidays just passed.
Flu season lasts from October to May with peak activity from December to March. There are things we can do to slow or stop the spread of the flu, including COVID, like extra hand washing, using antibacterial gels and wipes, staying home when sick, will all help in keeping you well and reducing the spread to others!
We have become more complacent about coming to work when we aren't well. The Safety Committee would like to remind employees to remain diligent about your health and others and stay home if you are sick. IDL employees have a strong work ethic and we all have gone to work when we don't feel well. Remember it's not just you at risk, you risk your fellow employees and customers as well.
Useful Tools Available to Employees
IDL employees have a plethora of benefits available to them. One that has many useful tools is the Idaho State Health Matters website. This website has a variety of information and tools including healthy recipes, lunch and learn videos, information regarding stress, sleep, moving and eating, to name just a few. I encourage you to access their site and discover all they have to offer.
Another benefit for Idaho state employees is the Wondr program. This is not just a weight loss program. It provides guidance and tools to help in developing a healthy and mindful lifestyle. Everyone that I have talked with that has joined has had very good things to say about it.
Near Miss Reporting
A near miss is an incident in which no property was damaged, and no personal injury was sustained, but where, given a slight shift in time or position, damage or injury easily could have occurred.
Near miss reporting provides critical information to assist in identifying safety issues and trends. Near miss reporting may save you or another employee from an injury.
Please remember to report near misses using the Near Miss Reporting Form located on the Safety Program SharePoint site.
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