Average Adult Spends 34 years Staring at Screens

An average adult spends 34 years of their lives staring at the screens. Research polling 2000 Brits revealed that 4,866 hours a year are spent glued to gadgets like phones, laptops, and televisions.

This equals to 301,733 hours over the average adult lifetime of 62 years. If we split the hours, around three-and-a-half hours a day are spent by an average adult for watching the TV screen, at least four hours staring at laptops, and two hours and 25 minutes looking at phones.

Furthermore, E-readers and gaming devices also make up to a total of 13 hours a day spent looking at a screen.

However, it is believed that less than half the time spend of people on these devices is ‘productive’.

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Regardless, 64% said that they would not know what to do without this screen time, especially in lockdown.

Benjamin Dumaine, optician and head of business development for Vision Direct, which commissioned the study, said: “We’re lucky to have devices that connect us with the outside world.

“A similar pandemic taking place 30 or 40 years ago would have seen people coping with the lack of contact in very different ways.

“However, it’s important to be aware of what excess screen time can do in terms of your eye health and keep on top of overdoing it when it comes to screens.

“We’d suggest making the most of the government’s advice to exercise, to help give that essential screen break.”