5 ways to avoid digital fatigue now that you're back to work, according to an eye expert

Back to business January can feel like a chasm as digital fatigue staringly approaches. If you are struggling to readjust to your routine and are plagued by a lack of energy and a foggy head, chances are those inevitable back to back Zooms aren’t helping. According to research carried out by , people aged between 16 to 64 rack up an average six hours and 37 minutes of screen time each day.

The impact of this on our physical and mental health is something we’re increasingly aware of—another study by the found that 59 per cent of participants consider screen time to hurt their health, with younger people and women being impacted the most. “Screens are the new sugar,” explains founder and optometrist Nicola Alexander Cross.

“They’re a part of our everyday life now. What we have to do is learn to live with them better.” Here’s how to swerve digital fatigue and start your year feeling fully switched on. One of the main reasons you feel fatigued after a day spent staring at screens is the impact on your eyes. “Anything over six hours of screen use per day now has a proven association with all sorts of eye health issues: eye strain, , dry eyes and of course, declining vision,” says Alexander Cross.

The reason for these issues is layered. As well as the unnatural brightness of a screen compared to the environment around you, you blink on average six to eight times less while looking at a screen than when you aren’t. “Make sure you’re always using good lighting,” advises Alexander Cross.

“A simple rule I tell my patients is to match the brightness of the room to the brightness of your screen. Doom scrolling in the dark before bed is when you really tend to induce eye strain, [so] keep good overhead lighting on whenever you’re using a screen.” She adds: “Daily use of a gentle, preservative free dry eye drop or spray will help offset the dryness caused by not blinking.” Alexander Cross also recommends adding good quality omega 3s to your diet, increasing your water intake and using a hot compress eye mask.

Go one better and make it a ritual to savour with Peep Club’s . While staring at a two dimensional object (whether it’s a , tablet or desktop computer), your eyes go into focal vision mode. When this happens your eyeballs rotate inwards towards your nose to allow your focus to narrow, so you can concentrate solely on what’s in front of you without any other visual distraction.

Although it is a natural reaction, this high focus mode is also associated with , as it triggers the body’s sympathetic nervous system. If screens are an integral part of your job you might not be able to escape this altogether, but the good news is that you can minimise it. Although it takes a little practice, it is possible to control your visual field and consciously divert away from this high stress visual state and force your eyes into panoramic, or peripheral, vision instead.

To do this, actively avert your gaze from your screen and keep your eyes pointed at a fixed point a few feet in front of you. This increases your field of vision which allows your brain to receive as much of your visual environment as possible. If you’re on your screen for hours on end, you’re most likely to be indoors, either sitting at your desk, slumped on the sofa or on a train carriage heading to or from work.

Which is another part of the problem. “Recent research has shown that natural light stimulates release from the retina, and that this prevents myopia (becoming short sighted),” explains Alexander Cross. One way to reduce the damage is by getting outside more. As well as improving your eye health and your overall physical health, the serotonin that exposure to fresh oxygen triggers is a natural mood booster.

Being outdoors also helps your cognitive function, which is important when too much screen time leaves you feeling groggy. “The blue light hits your pineal gland and can confuse the body into thinking it is in a different stage of the day, particularly if you doom scroll in the evening,” says Hannah Alderson, a nutritionist and founder of .

While blue light glasses go some way towards reducing the impact of excessive screen time, the best course of action is to avoid all screens at least two hours before you start winding down for bed. You should also schedule in regular breaks throughout the day. Adopting a healthier approach in the morning is sensible too, as how we feel when we wake has an impact on how well we’re likely to sleep later.

“Stay away from your screens for the first 30 mins of your morning to support your cortisol awakening response (CAR),” explains Alderson. “Supporting your CAR is a wonderful place to start, as a is made in the morning. Your cortisol awakening response is a method to naturally take you from a state of sleep to a state of alert.” While these tips can only go so far, the real work lies with you.

We get it, it's hard now that screens are ingrained in our modern world, but these actionable practices can build a healthier lifestyle..