A new report from Eyesafe finds that people born in 2025 will likely spend 21 years of their lives looking at a screen.

"21 Years on Screens: How a Lifetime of Screens is Redefining Human Experience and Health" synthesizes data from sources including the US Bureau of Labor Statistics and Nielsen, to reveal that its finding of 181,000+ hours staring at a screen amounts to over a quarter of a person's life and more than 40% of their waking hours.

The report also highlights a massive generational shift, Eyesafe notes. A person born in 1980 will spend an estimated 8 years on screens, while for someone born in 1960, the figure was only 4 years. Moreover, for the 1960 person, “screen time was a passive, communal activity centered around a single television. Today, it is an active, individual, and omnipresent experience driven by personal, portable devices that deliver an endless stream of interactive and algorithmically curated content.”

This phenomenon of digital immersion is “not benign," the report states. It will result in a significant cumulative health burden, the report continues, citing a comprehensive analysis of peer-reviewed medical literature. It pointed to what it called a “triad of interconnected health crises” on the horizon:

• Physical decline. The report establishes a clear link between high screen time and a 63% increased risk of metabolic syndrome¹—a cluster of conditions that raise the risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. It also highlights the prevalence of Digital Eye Strain (DES), affecting an estimated 50% to 90% of screen users,² and a surge in chronic musculoskeletal pain, or "text neck." One study found that using a phone for more than 10 hours per week resulted in a 2.48 times higher probability of developing neck pain.³
   

• Neurological impact on children. The report cites data from the National Institute of Health’s Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, which found that children with more than 7 hours of daily screen time showed evidence of premature thinning of the brain's cortex,⁴ the area responsible for higher-order functions such as reasoning and sensory processing.
   

• Mental health distress. The analysis notes a significant correlation between high social media use and a greater incidence of depression, anxiety, and loneliness.⁵ The report describes a "vicious cycle" in which individuals may turn to screens to cope with negative feelings, but the nature of the engagement can exacerbate the underlying issues.

"By understanding this true lifetime cost [of high rates of screen time], we can begin to make informed choices...that prioritize our health, reclaim our time, and ensure that technology serves human well-being, rather than undermining it," Eyesafe's report concludes.

For the full report, go to eyesafe.com/lifetimeofscreentime.

References

1. Wilmot EG, et al. 2012. Sedentary time in adults and the association with diabetes,
cardiovascular disease and death: Systematic review and meta-analysis. Diabetologia, 55 (11), 2895-2905. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00125-012-2677-z

2. American Optometric Association. Computer Vision Syndrome.
https://www.aoa.org/healthy-eyes/eye-and-vision-conditions/computer-vision-syndrome

3. Xie Y, Szeto G, Dai J. Prevalence and risk factors associated with musculoskeletal complaints among users of mobile handheld devices: A systematic review. Appl Ergon. 2017;59(Pt A):132-142. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2016.08.020

4. Chaarani B, Ortigara J, Yuan D, Loso H, et al. 2023. Association of digital media use with brain development in children. JAMA Pediatrics, 177(3), 282–290. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2022.5356

5. Twenge JM, Campbell WK. Associations between screen time and lower psychological well-being among children and adolescents: Evidence from a population-based study. Prev Med Rep. 2018;12:271-283. Published 2018 Oct 18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pmedr.2018.10.003