Today you can do almost anything from your smartphone, laptop, or television. Whether it’s online shopping or watching Netflix, we spend way too much time looking at our screens. There is nothing more eye-opening than receiving that “are you still watching” message come across your screen after watching four straight hours of a new series (we’ve all been guilty of this!).

How Screen Time Affects Heath

Spending too much time staring at a screen causes a laundry list of health issues such as irregular sleeping patterns, neurotransmitter imbalances, decreased self-esteem, diminished social skills, and so much more. Research suggests there may be an increased risk for developmental delays in language acquisition and communication skills in young children who spend significant time in front of screens (2-3 hours per day).

Minimizing Screen Time

If screens are prevalent in your family’s life, it’s important to try and portion control your screen time. A great way to do so is eliminating screens from places like the dinner table. Use your dinner time to engage with your loved ones. Remove screens at least 1 hour before bed to promote healthy sleep. Instead, plan a game night for family time with the kids or take time to read. Schedule specific days of the week and times for screen time so your kids know the expectation.

How Chiropractic Care Can Help

Avoiding screens altogether is virtually impossible in today’s culture. But that doesn’t mean we have to accept a problem with no solution! It has been shown that chiropractic adjustments affect the neuroendocrine system, therefore affecting neurotransmitters such as dopamine, epinephrine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. When you get adjusted, our goal is to remove neurological interference, improve brain and body communication, and restore the body’s ability to handle and adapt to outside stressors!