why is it unhealthy to stare at phones for long periods of time (like on social media) but healthy to read books?
In: Technology
A few things. The main ones I can think of are quality, light, and positioning.
Quality: books go through a quality control process. Books have publishers and editors who have the job of making sure the books are good. The language is correct, and the facts are true. Meanwhile, a load of the internet doesn’t have this. So, on average, books are better intellectually than the internet. Obviously there are exceptions. The are a lot of really good, stimulating things online. And there are a lot of books that are pure mince (50 shades of twilight). But on average, books are better (at least historically).
Light: screens can mess up your sleep cycle. They give off blue light (as part of the white light). This tricks your brain into thinking it’s daytime, making you less sleepy. This is why looking at screens before bed is bad. Meanwhile, books just reflect the light in the room.
Positioning: phone screens are small. This means we hold them close to look at. This can strain the muscles in our eyes, which can cause damage.
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