I think the burnout that my eyes have been experiencing from Zoom University has also been causing me to have overall burnout.
I'm sure as you guys know, we've all been taking a step into the virtual world with all of the remote learning, working, and socializing that's been going on lately. But as I've been about a month into the semester, I can officially say that I am no longer having fun. I mean realistically, I was not having much fun to begin with(staying in my room and all), but this time, I'm starting to get physically fed up. My eyes have been so bad, that I'm starting to not be able to focus them anymore. On ANYTHING, not just the screens. It got so bad that I had to take a whole day to lay in bed with a cold compress over my eyes. I was fuming; I couldn't attend any of my classes or other meetings, but I also couldn't fall asleep, resulting in me looking for a source of entertainment that wouldn't require my eyes (shoutout to The Friend Zone Podcast, btw!). Normally, I spent days scrolling mindlessly on social media platforms for expansive periods of time. What is it about Zoom University that has been causing me so many problems?
After some research, I figured out why my eyes were becoming so much of an issue. Christine Fonseca, MS, a writer for Psychology Today, explains that even just two hours of screen time is very bad for the brain, resulting in "a reduction of grey matter and a change in white matter."
Your line: "What is grey/white matter, and what does it do?"
My line: Good question.
Grey matter and white matter make up the central nervous system, which is the system in our bodies that is responsible for most of the functions of our body/mind, but mainly controls sensory input, information processing, and motor output. Grey matter is mainly responsible for the information processing aspect of our CNS; grey matter tissue directs sensory stimuli to nerve cells, which in turn induce a response. There are also glial cells, which move energy and nutrients to neurons. Basically, grey matter helps us react to sensory input (e.g. feelings, tastes, smells, sights, and sounds), and also provide our neurons with the materials needed to generate a response. White matter, on the other hand, is made up of things called myelinated axons which are basically protected nerve cell "ropes," that are responsible for transmitting signals to grey matter.
When we're exposed to a significant amount of screen time, Fonseca explains, this reduction of grey matter and manipulation of white matter can affect a lot of cognitive function; it can reduce your attention span, cause difficulties in memory, and even change the way that we think deeply! It can also lead to mood changes/swings and impair social-emotional development. And from all the tweets that I've seen circulating, especially in the middle of a pandemic, civil rights wave, and election turmoil? We're having it rough. But with school being mainly online, as well as most other forms of work and relaxation, what is there left to do? And even before we get to that big question: how do I get my eyes to stop hurting if I have to stare at a screen the whole day?
Well, I found some quick (and not-so-quick) fixes.
For starters, short term solutions like cold/warm compresses (i.e. damp towels) provide some relief to tired eyes that need a quick fix. Because I wear contacts, I've also opted to wear my glasses more often, which allows my eyes to relax a little bit more; if you only have contacts, or if you just have very dry eyes, it might help to get a box of eye drops. When it comes to screen time itself, blue light is the devil. Check your phone, laptop, and other screens to see if there are any settings that filter out blue light, and if not, it might be a good idea to buy either a blue light shield, or a cheap pair of blue light glasses to save your eyes from the problems that blue light causes. It also might be a good idea to turn the brightness down a few notches to reduce the brightness intensity.
As far as more long-term solutions? We need to take breaks, y'all. If you haven't gathered from my previous links that we as humans are not built for excessive screen time, then let me restate: we as human beings are not physically capable of staying on screens for excessive periods of time. Obviously, with virtual work/school/fun, this is a lot easier said than done. However, it's something that has to be worked on; try finding other things that don't require looking at a screen. Listen to music, read a book, exercise, draw, sing. While you are on a screen, make sure to take breaks, even if it's just five minutes or so to drink water and massage your eyes. Something else that might be helpful would be to make sure you're not in a dry environment, which could be causing your dry eyes; make sure to keep air circulating in your area, or even get a mini humidifier to keep in your workspace. Staying hydrated might also aid in dryness, since our bodies are made up of around 60% H20.
Some of these tips might help, but it's also important to remember that disconnecting at times is important. With all of the information thrown at us at the same time from all around the world, it can be just as overwhelming as the physical wear-and-tear that staying on a screen can cause. If you know other tips on how to keep your brain and eyes healthy (as well as any other forms of encouragement that can distract us from everything going on), go ahead and drop it in the comment section!
Until the next time I'm able to see my screen properly, stay safe and stay sane.
(Also, it may seem silly, but remember to blink.)