What’s Been Discussed
As has been mentioned in previous Gamer Advantage blogs, one can reasonably infer that blue light consumption has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. People have replaced shopping in stores for shopping more online, and more time at home provides more opportunity to interact with screens as opposed to doing activities elsewhere. Not only that, but increasingly working from home without a commute creates more of a chance for workers to fall into ‘always on culture’ as the lines blur as to when work ends in a day. In short, these are all reasonable assumptions about changes in behavior motivated by the pandemic. But can it be quantified? How has this increased blue light consumption impacted people? Thanks to an article called “Amount of time Americans spend staring at screens has skyrocketed during pandemic” by SWNS of New York Post in September 2020, we may begin to answer these questions.
Consumption Detailed
According to the New York Post article, “A new survey of 2,000 Americans found 53 percent of respondents are feeling burnt out on screens over the last few months.” The article and study also note that before the pandemic Americans were getting 4 hours of screen time each day which jumped to 6 hours since quarantine started. Credit for this poll goes to OnePoll who conducted it for Foster Grant. While only being one survey, this does provide some credibility and insight into how much more Americans were drawn to looking at screens during the pandemic. Below is a portion of more findings from survey ask spoken about in the article:
- “Nearly six in 10 respondents said they often get screen-related aches and pains, with the average respondent getting about three per week”
- “57 percent of Americans surveyed said the pandemic has caused them to suffer from more “screenaches” than ever before”
- “Six in 10 also said the uptick in screen-related aches and pains leaves them feeling a lot less productive than normal”
- “56 percent of respondents said they are actively trying to cut down on their screen time to give their eyes a much-needed rest”
Key Takeaways
Once again, despite only being one survey, we do have a better idea of the effect COVID-19 has had on the amount of time people are spending looking at screens as well as how that has affected Americans. From a Gamer Advantage perspective, we are not surprised to read that the majority of respondents reported often getting aches and pains. However, it is striking that the majority of respondents reported more “screenaches” than ever before. Reducing eye strain and headaches is at the forefront of what our glasses are engineered to accomplish, and as a result, a boost in productivity should come. And along those lines, the survey bolsters that goal as the majority of respondents noted feeling less productive due to screen-related aches and pains. While the country continues to open up and many are leaving their homes more, it’s important to note just how crippling the effects of mass blue light consumption can be. And for those who are still in quarantine or are continuing increased blue light consumption, the results of this study should even more pause as to what others are feeling. Regardless of lifestyle and state of the pandemic, Gamer Advantage will continue to provide solutions for comfort, productivity and quality of life.
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Photo by Niklas Hamann on Unsplash
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