Introduction
The digital revolution has altered the entire attitude of how people live, work, and connect with the world around us, pretty much rewriting the story of human networking. Its amazing how digital developments in the field of AI have ushered to open opportunities of comfort, connectivity, and limitless opportunities. However, as we prepare to move towards this brave new digital world of AI, it is being established that a set of obstacles that can have an impact on our health and well-being come along with these remarkable benefits. While we think the digital era will make lives easier, there is definitely another side of the coin some of which have been stated in this article.
In this article, we’ll trip through the dark side of digitalization and examine its detrimental effects on users. Moreover, the article will present striking comparisons with a time before screens took over our lives to fully appreciate the scope of this transition. We’ll also highlight the intriguing scenarios resulting from this digital integration using relevant examples and persuasive statistics. So let’s understand this through the lens of digital integration to understand a new perspective of the digital world and its complex relationship with our physical and mental health.
Sedentary Lifestyle
- Comparison with Pre-Digital Era:
Before the advent of the digital age, specifically before social media introduction, life revolved a lot around physical activities and meeting people in a physical world. Imagine a world where individuals commuted to work together in cars and public transport, their senses heightened by the sights and sounds of the busy streets. That era was when people would walk and talk and sit together to talk and network with physical meets. People typically worked with their hands as they built, created, and networked. The idea of networking was also aligned with outdoor pursuits like hiking, picnicking, and participating in sports were popular leisure activities.
Let’s go ahead to the digital era of today. The change is noticeable. Our lifestyles have become more sedentary as a result of the introduction of digital devices. People now have less involvement in physical activities because everything from housework to office manual work has mainly been automated and outdoor activities. The temptation to binge-watch TV shows or trawl through social media feeds frequently overshadows the temptation of meeting outside. Nonetheless, even major activities have been artificially aligned.
All industries have gone digital and creativity requires users to be active on Social and Digital Platforms such as reels, blogs, graphics, videos, updates and news. It seems like this “necessity” of being online has been created by AI itself as a networking move to make people used to artificial alignment on digital platforms.
The outcome? A world that has become noticeably less active, which has serious effects on our health and well-being.
Find some Stats here proving the point:
The World Health Organization (WHO) in 2016 reported physical inactivity is now the fourth leading cause of death globally, responsible for approximately 3.2 million deaths annually. Moreover, in high-income countries, insufficient activity grew by 5% (from 31.6% to 36.8%) between 2001 and 2016. Since then the percentage has only increased as the growth of the digital sphere is expanding. The Global Status Report of 2022 released by WHO has also confirmed that more than 80% of teenagers and 27% of adults do not engage in the recommended amounts of physical activity. Therefore, while digital integration at a lesser-developed stage was harmful, AI is expected to increase the pace of physical inactivity.
The outcome? A world that has become noticeably less active, which has serious effects on our health and well-being.
Find some Stats here proving the point:
The World Health Organization (WHO) in 2016 reported physical inactivity is now the fourth leading cause of death globally, responsible for approximately 3.2 million deaths annually. Moreover, in high-income countries, insufficient activity grew by 5% (from 31.6% to 36.8%) between 2001 and 2016. Since then the percentage has only increased as the growth of the digital sphere is expanding. The Global Status Report of 2022 released by WHO has also confirmed that more than 80% of teenagers and 27% of adults do not engage in the recommended amounts of physical activity. Therefore, while digital integration at a lesser-developed stage was harmful, AI is expected to increase the pace of physical inactivity.
Example –
The Constant Screen User: Students like Emily are becoming more and more dependent on laptops and cell phones for their academic work in today’s digital educational environment. While these gadgets have many benefits, they also pose health risks. Emily’s case demonstrates how excessive screen usage, which is a necessary component of her academic life, has resulted in migraines, digital eye strain, and eye fatigue. Additionally, the convenience offered by online learning and different types of equipment is interfering with sleep and physical activity schedules. In order to promote both effective learning and well-being, it’s critical to find a balance between the advantages of digital education and the need to reduce any negative health effects. This is especially important as technology continues to change the student experience.
Mental Health Challenges
Information Overload in the AI era bringing sleep and depressive symptoms:
Comparison with Pre-Digital Era: Digital addiction especially on Social Media and the constant flood of information were unheard of in earlier times. There was noticeably no constant barrage of digital content or the pressures of online comparison or viewpoints that characterize the current age of AI. People were protected from the constant repetition of the same content, enabling them to live lives that were less information-saturated and free of the concerns brought on by the constant comparisons that are so common in today’s digitally connected world. This extra comparison has made it appealing for the users but equally daunting to make decisions such as through testimonials and blogs. Eventually, this increases the average time on Social Media making sleep deprivation common.
Find some Stats here proving the point:
A study published in the journal of 2018 JAMA Pediatrics found a significant increase in depressive symptoms among adolescents associated with increased screen time. As per the stats of 2023, it was found children ages 0 to 2, over half (49%) use smartphones. It was also discovered that the average daily screen time for Generation Z is nine hours. Moreover, the 2023 stats of screen time are alarming.
Example –
The Social Media Enthusiast: Sara’s reliance on social media sites has harmed her mental health in the digital era. She struggles with anxiety, ongoing inadequacy feelings, and melancholy thoughts as a result of being constantly exposed to edited glimpses of other people’s lives. Social media’s pervasiveness and the ability to consider viewpoints from many has maybe aligned a digital connection but at the same time, it has brought a fragile sense of self-worth and a fear of missing out (FOMO). Sara’s story serves as a reminder of the significance of understanding social media’s effects on mental health and the need to create a balance between one’s need for digital connectivity and their emotional well-being.
Sleep Disruption
- Comparison with Pre-Digital Era:
Bedtime routines were significantly different in the pre-digital era. People were less likely to use devices right before bed, protecting them from the sleep-interfering effects of blue light. Instead, nights were typically spent winding down with pursuits like reading actual books, conversing with others, or taking quiet moments for introspection. The melatonin generation remained unaffected by this screen-free pre-sleep practice, ensuring a better-regulated and deeper sleep. This led to more peaceful nights.
Find some Stats here proving the point: The National Sleep Foundation reports that 90% of people in the U.S. use electronic devices within an hour of bedtime, negatively impacting sleep quality. However, research from 2022 mentioned that sleep quality has been affected by around 86.6% because of the high usage of digital devices. Moreover, it has also been reported that Computer, tablet, and smartphone screens are a significant source of artificial light in Americans’ everyday routines, according to the National Sleep Foundation’s 2022 Sleep in America® Poll. In the preceding week, 80% of people reported using screens frequently throughout the day, 68% during the evening, and—most concerning for the health of your sleep—58% within an hour before bed.
Example –
The Nighttime Scroller: David has a habit of using his smartphone right before bed, and now it’s been a year since he sleeps at 3:00 AM in the night. He has a headache and wants to change the routine but cannot. The issue detected has been that “His melatonin production is disrupted by the blue light from the screen, making it difficult for him to get to sleep and stay asleep”. He’s getting less sleep as a result, which makes him more drowsy and ineffective during the day. His appetite has decreased and he usually screams at friends and parents for no reason. It serves as a stark reminder for us all to try to limit our screen usage before bed in the interests of our sleep and sanity.
Conclusion
Although the digitalization of our environment has unquestionably had advantages of comfort and development, it has also presented several health challenges. The prevalence of sedentary lifestyles, digital eye strain, mental health conditions, and sleep disruption has greatly grown as compared to the pre-digital period. To promote a healthier connection with technology, it is essential to recognize this initially. The negative effects of digitization on human health must be mitigated by increasing physical activity, mindful screen use, and digital well-being education. With the introduction of AI, we must balance the benefits of technology with any potential health dangers as we navigate the digital age. By doing this, we can make sure that rather than detracting from our general well-being, our digital tools improve it.