In today’s digital world, smartphones, computers, tablets, and televisions have become an essential part of everyday life. While technology offers many benefits, spending prolonged hours in front of screens can reduce physical activity, disturb sleep, encourage unhealthy eating habits, and increase the risk of lifestyle disorders.
Research suggests that excessive screen time is associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and poor metabolic health. Although screen time alone does not cause these conditions, it can significantly contribute when combined with unhealthy diet, inadequate sleep, and physical inactivity.
At Madhavbaug, lifestyle disorders are managed through an integrated approach that combines Ayurvedic therapies, nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle modification to support long-term health.
Screen Time and its Health Effects
Nowadays, it’s nearly impossible to live without gadgets, but it is essential to keep in mind the cause-and-effect relationship between technology and a sedentary lifestyle.Excessive screen time is associated with a higher risk of developing lifestyle disorders, particularly when accompanied by physical inactivity, poor sleep, and unhealthy dietary habits.
However, the first question which arises is, ‘What is the recommended screen time?’ Currently, screen time and behaviour guidelines recommend the following:
Children younger than 2 years – no screen time at all
Preschoolers and toddlers – 1 hour a day
-There is no universally accepted maximum screen time limit for adults. However, experts recommend limiting recreational screen time and balancing it with regular physical activity, adequate sleep, and frequent movement breaks.
The WHO does not recommend a strict 2-hour limit for adults.
Exposure to screens, when exceeding the guidelines, can be considered an increase in screen time, which can lead to the development of lifestyle disorders such as obesity, diabetes and hypertension.
What is the Link Between Screen Time and Obesity?
The relation between screen time and obesity has been explained through a “couch-potato theory” (Vandewater, Shim, & Caplovitz, 2004). It states that a higher screen time leads to an increase in snacking, increases exposure to advertisements for densely caloric foods, and possibly even decreases metabolism more than sitting or sleeping. The same can be observed as effects of late-night screen use. (Marttinen, R., 2014)
Screen Time and Diabetes
Excessive screen time contributes to weight gain through several mechanisms:
* Reduced physical activity
* Frequent snacking while watching screens
* Greater exposure to advertisements for calorie-dense foods
* Late-night screen use leading to poor sleep and hormonal imbalance
* Increased sedentary behaviour resulting in lower daily energy expenditure
These factors together increase the likelihood of overweight and obesity.
How Screen Time affects Blood Pressure and Sleep
Studies have found that prolonged sedentary screen time is associated with increased insulin resistance and a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, particularly when accompanied by obesity and low physical activity.
This avoids implying direct causation.
Prolonged screen time has been associated with higher blood pressure, especially in children and adolescents. Reduced physical activity, prolonged sitting, stress, poor sleep, and weight gain may all contribute to this increased risk.
Increased screen time can also lead to a greater risk of sleep disturbance and childhood-related sleeping disorders and hypertension. (Guerrero et al., 2019)
What is the Link between Blue Light and Metabolism
Blue light emitted by phones, tablets, and computers can suppress melatonin production, delaying sleep onset and reducing sleep quality. Poor sleep has been linked with hormonal changes involving leptin and ghrelin, which regulate appetite. As a result, inadequate sleep may increase hunger, cravings, and calorie intake, indirectly contributing to weight gain and metabolic dysfunction.
This can lead to impaired metabolism as follows:
Very high leptin
↓
Leptin resistance
↓
The brain cannot recognize excess energy
↓
A person feels hungry frequently, which also leads to impaired metabolism.
Healthy Tips to Reduce Screen Time
Setting timers to keep decreasing the use of phones or just avoiding the use of gadgets can be difficult. Nevertheless, engaging yourself in other activities which are even healthy can be a better option.
Some healthy tips:
Waking up early in the morning and timely sleeping to avoid late-night use
Exercising daily
Meditation
Engaging in creative habits such as painting, sketching, music, etc.
Practicing physical sports
Travelling and spending time with nature
* Follow the 20-20-20 rule during screen use.
* Stand up and walk every 30–60 minutes.
* Keep phones away during meals.
* Avoid screens at least one hour before bedtime.
* Spend more time outdoors.
Madhavbaug’s consultation suggests personalised lifestyle changes like diet, physical activity etc which help one reduce the screen time by indulging in other mindful activities. To learn more, visit the nearest Madhavbaug clinic.
Madhavbaug’s Holistic Approach Towards Obesity
The Ayurvedic approach at Madhavbaug to combat obesity includes the following:
Panchakarma
Therapies like Basti (medicated enema) that help stabilise leptin levels in the body. (Munshi, R et al., 2025).
Swasthyam Diet Kit
Research-based Ayurvedic diet kit which can help reduce weight and promote fat metabolism.
Herbal medications
Guggul, Triphala, Mustaka and Punarnava work together to promote natural fat reduction. (Salehi, A., et al,. 2025)
How Madhavbaug helps control Blood Sugar levels
Madhavbaug focuses on root causes through Ayurveda, such as agni, tridosha imbalance, toxin elimination and lifestyle correction.
Panchakarma
Procedures like Virechana, which help eliminate toxins from the gut. It acts mainly on the liver and pancreas and helps reduce hepatic glucose production and overcome the impaired insulin secretion. Both of these can assist in the decrease in FBS and PPBS considerably. (Jindal et al., 2013)
Prameha Diet Kit
A low-calorie meal structured with low-glycaemic ingredients to help maintain stable blood sugar levels.
Customized Exercise Plan
This primarily focuses on boosting muscle sugar absorption and building muscle mass for improved glucose regulation.
Managing Blood Pressure with Madhavbaug
Madhavbaug can help restore blood pressure naturally without dependency on lifelong medicines.
Panchakarma
Procedures like Swedana (herbal steam therapy) open channels, promote sweating, and detoxify, improving blood flow and reducing tension in arteries. (Rastogi, S., 2013)
Go BIPi Diet Kit
Low sodium and potassium-rich food to maintain healthy blood pressure levels.
MIB Pulse App
To track blood pressure in real-time to stay in line with your treatment.
Take your first step towards Holistic Well- Being with Madhavbaug
A digital lifestyle comes with a number of health risks. Reducing screen time is important; however, for those who have already developed the conditions, needs to be addressed before they turn fatal.
Book Your appointment at the nearest Madhavbaug clinic or hospital
Frequently Asked Questions
Q.1 What causes high screen time?
Excessive screen use is influenced by several factors, including habit formation, entertainment, work requirements, social media engagement, and activation of the brain’s reward pathways.
Q.2 Is higher screen time the only reason for weight gain, diabetes and blood pressure?
Obesity, diabetes and hypertension are lifestyle disorders, which means they are multifactorial. High screen time can be one of the factors.
Q.3 Can reducing screen time prevent lifestyle diseases?
As mentioned, lifestyle disorders are multifactorial. Reducing screen time can be a good habit, but it alone is not enough.
Q.4 How can I know if my screen time is ideal or not?
Mention that adult recommendations focus on limiting recreational screen time rather than total work-related screen exposure.
Q.5 My screen time is higher than the guidelines. Am I suffering from obesity, diabetes or hypertension?
Every person having a higher screen time does not necessarily suffer from lifestyle disorders, since they are multifactorial. However, getting diagnosed at the earliest is important. If you are suffering from any of the symptoms, you can book an appointment with Madhavbaug.
References
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Tremblay, M. S., LeBlanc, A. G., Carson, V., Choquette, L., Connor Gorber, S., Dillman, C., … & Spence, J. C. (2012). Canadian sedentary behaviour guidelines for the early years (aged 0–4 years). Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 37(2), 370-380.
Carson, V., Tremblay, M. S., Spence, J. C., Timmons, B. W., & Janssen, I. (2013). The Canadian sedentary behaviour guidelines for the early years (zero to four years of age) and screen time among children from Kingston, Ontario. Paediatrics & Child Health, 18(1), 25-28.
Marttinen, R., Vernikoff, L., Phillips, S., & Fletcher, N. (2017). Physical activity, screen time, and obesity: a statistical inquiry into Latino/a youth. California Journal of Health Promotion, 15(1), 27-35.
Vandewater, E. A., Shim, M. S., & Caplovitz, A. G. (2004). Linking obesity and activity level with children’s television and video game use. Journal of adolescence, 27(1), 71-85.
Bhor, Shital; Bhalerao, Aboli A.; Shah, Nikhil; Khadilkar, Vaman; Khadilkar, Anuradha V.. Screen Time and its Impact on Cardiometabolic Risk Factors among Children and Youth with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D). Journal of Pharmacy and Bioallied Sciences 18(Suppl 1):p S171-S175, February 2026. | DOI: 10.4103/jpbs.jpbs_1604_25
Alotaibi, A. A., Alqarni, A. S., Alharbi, G. A., Almutairi, R. H., & ALOTAIBI, A. A. (2026). Impacts of Dietary Patterns and Screen Time on the Risk of Developing Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Among Children in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study. Cureus, 18(4).
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Fujiwara, H., Nakajima, H., Inoue, F., Kosaka, K., Asano, H., & Yoshii, K. (2018). Arterial stiffness in junior high school students: Longitudinal observations. Pediatrics International, 60(2), 127-135.
Guerrero, M. D., Barnes, J. D., Chaput, J. P., & Tremblay, M. S. (2019). Screen time and problem behaviors in children: exploring the mediating role of sleep duration. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 16(1), 105.
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Munshi, R., Panchal, F., & Kumbhar, D. (2025). Effect of Lekhan Basti and Navak Guggul on lipid markers and transcriptional effects of selected genes in obese patients: A single-centre, open-labelled, randomized, comparative, pilot study. Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine, 16(3), 101129.
Salehi, A., Asgary, S., Mohammadipour, P., Sarrafzadegan, N., de Oliveira, C., & Silveira, E. A. (2025). The Anti-Obesity Effects of Triphala and Triphala Guggul: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Clinical Trials. Journal of Medicinal Natural Products, 2(3), 100021.
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Rastogi, S., & Chiappelli, F. (2013). Hemodynamic effects of Sarvanga Swedana (Ayurvedic passive heat therapy): A pilot observational study. AYU (An International Quarterly Journal of Research in Ayurveda), 34(2), 154-159.
