During periods of confinement, the more time people spend in front of a screen, the more their level of loneliness increases, at the same time as their level of happiness decreases.
-1610103180.jpg "In case of confinement, turn off your laptop to avoid the blues!")
- Screens (computer, telephone, television) are harmful during periods of confinement.
- Going out as much as possible and getting some fresh air allows you to find moments of happiness
Difficult to keep the morale with the year which passed. Between confinement, the coronavirus pandemic and the prolonged shutdown of entire sections of the economy, you had to be armed with unfailing optimism to withstand 2020. Fortunately, it was always possible to take refuge on your phone, window on the world. Perhaps that is precisely the problem. In a study carried out by the universities of Anglia Ruskin (United Kingdom), Karl Landsteiner (Austria) and Perdant (Malaysia), researchers demonstrate the level of happiness during confinement may have been affected by the time spent in front of a screen (television , computer or smartphone). The results of their study were published in the Journal of Happiness Studies on January 2, 2021.
The temptation of screens
Previous studies have already shown how being outdoors, especially in green spaces, can improve mental health while promoting a more positive body image and reducing levels of depression and anxiety. In this new study, the researchers measured the level of happiness in 286 Austrian adults three times a day, for 21 days in April, in the middle of the first confinement.
In April, Austria gradually came out of its confinement, and authorized its citizens to leave their homes only for specific activities, including physical exercise. Using daily readings, the researchers found that happiness levels were higher when participants were outdoors rather than indoors. Above all, the more time spent in front of a screen during the day, the lower the level of happiness. These results were also influenced by the feeling of loneliness that people locked in their homes might feel.
Preserve the best mental health
“While confinement can help slow the transmission of Covid-19, our research has also shown that prolonged periods of confinement have mental health consequences.says Viren Swami, professor of social psychology at Anglia Ruskin University and co-author of the study. Our results are important in this context because they show that being able to spend time outdoors in confinement conditions has a beneficial effect on psychological well-being. Spending time outdoors provides an escape from the stress of home confinement, socializing with others, and physical activity, all of which can improve mental health.”
The repercussions of confinement on mental health have been widely studied this year, showing a worsening of mental disorders as well as an increase in cases of depression or anxiety. According to Viren Swami, this should be taken into account by government authorities for the welfare of the people. “Our findings have practical implications for health policy. As new lockdown restrictions are now needed in some countries, public health messaging that encourages getting outdoors instead of staying indoors and staring at our screens could really help lift people’s moods. this winter.”
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