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Screen time and cfs symptoms

Jemima37

Senior Member
Messages
407
Location
UK
Lately I've hit a crash and I mostly bed resting and I've noticed I'm on my phone a lot. Scrolling on Instagram, Amazon etc before I know it I've spent all day on it. I will them feel so tired, weak and achy armed and generally crashed all over and foggy dizzy head. Is this how screens affect us with CFS? I'm just wondering how much screens are playing a bad part in my cfs recovery or if they're a huge cause.

Also I've noticed since this crash I've become sensitive to light. So going from room to room, the light changes from an extremely bright sun lit room into say a duller hallway my eyes cant come with the changes and I can have a rush of panic. I have my curtains drawn most of the day on my bedroom since this crash too. I'm sure I'm a vampire lol. Is this kind of light sensitivity normal in a crash too?
 

southwestforests

Senior Member
Messages
575
Location
Missouri
I don't have a smart phone & therefore use a PC and/or a laptop but I can say that similar happens at times. CFS/ME fatigues the mind along with the body and sometimes it is surprising how much energy is consumed by the mind alone. So, yes, burning a lot of energy focusing on things can affect the overall CFS.
 

Wishful

Senior Member
Messages
5,679
Location
Alberta
I don't notice that effect, so I would guess that it's a secondary symptoms of ME, and the sensitivity to it and the severity of it vary with the individual.

I do suggest trying a day or more without screen time, to see if that makes a difference. It is possible to go a day or more without checking email, or social sites or whatever else. Really. ;)
 

Archie

Senior Member
Messages
168
Most screens ,was it computer or phone use cheap circuit called Pulse-width modulation and this not healthy , it cause flickering even if you cant really see it, but our body does feel it`s effect still . The best solution is to get screen that use another more expensive circuit , DC dimming .

https://iristech.co/pwm-flicker/

Biological Effects and Health Hazards From Flickering:
http://grouper.ieee.org/groups/1789/FlickerTR1_2_15_10.pdf

interestingly, the phone maker OnePlus want to include DC dimming technology to their phone in future update

https://www.xda-developers.com/oneplus-dc-dimming-optional-feature-future-update/

Wiewsonic has has made for years flicker free monitors also, i dont know are they with DC dimming circuit, and i have not use any of them , thought i been planning to buy since it just dont make much sense to use the normal cheap circuit PWM led screen i now have .

https://www.viewsonic.com/uk/products/lcd/flicker-free/

There is also software solutions like iris, but i dont see it as good like DC dimming...it can help also thought by adjusting colours and light.

Third option would be using a projector, which is not as bad like normal screens i think .
 

Wishful

Senior Member
Messages
5,679
Location
Alberta
PWM vs DC backlighting brightness control isn't cheap vs expensive. PWM is more energy efficient, and mobile device marketers like bragging about screentime per charge. The problem seems to be that some backlighting uses fairly low frequency PWM (<200 Hz), although I don't know why. From: https://hubpages.com/technology/led-backlight-flicker

'According to studies about 1 in 4,000 people are highly susceptible to flashing lights cycling in the 3 to 70 Hz range [...] Less well known is the fact that long-term exposure to higher frequency flickering (in the 70 to 160 Hz range) can also cause malaise, headaches, and visual impairment.'

E-ink screens have no backlighting, so no flicker unless you use one that has built-in nightlighting.
 

PatJ

Forum Support Assistant
Messages
5,288
Location
Canada
I'm just wondering how much screens are playing a bad part in my cfs recovery or if they're a huge cause.
Also I've noticed since this crash I've become sensitive to light.

Excitatory neurotoxicity is one possibility for sensitivity to light (and sound or other sensory input). This article explains Dr. Cheney's ideas about it.

Displays, fluorescent lights, and LED lights (especially) are terrible for increasing my brainfog and fatigue. Flicker has a little bit to do with it (except that even LED flashlights bother me, and they don't flicker), but I think the un-natural color spectrum of most artificial light has a greater influence. I have no trouble with sunlight or incandescent light.

Things that have helped to reduce my sensitivity include vitamin C (at least 2-4 grams per day) and taurine powder, which also helps reduce my sound sensitivity.
 

Jemima37

Senior Member
Messages
407
Location
UK
Excitatory neurotoxicity is one possibility for sensitivity to light (and sound or other sensory input). This article explains Dr. Cheney's ideas about it.

Displays, fluorescent lights, and LED lights (especially) are terrible for increasing my brainfog and fatigue. Flicker has a little bit to do with it (except that even LED flashlights bother me, and they don't flicker), but I think the un-natural color spectrum of most artificial light has a greater influence. I have no trouble with sunlight or incandescent light.

Things that have helped to reduce my sensitivity include vitamin C (at least 2-4 grams per day) and taurine powder, which also helps reduce my sound sensitivity.
Thank you. Is the excitory neurotoxicity a common cfs issue? I will get hubby to read that tonight for me. Thank you for the link.

After I've been on screens I have surges up my body like fight or flight, sensitive eyes, fatigue, brain fog... I'm just so bored resting so I guess social media etc becomes a comfort but it's bad really for us.
 

Wishful

Senior Member
Messages
5,679
Location
Alberta
Since many of us can't fill our days with physical activities, we turn to electronic screens, and some of us seem to be sensitive to flickering or backlighting spectums. Maybe one of the moderators can figure out the appropriate place to put a sticky for anyone who finds screen use to be fatiguing. Add some pointers explaining the problem, such as the one I included earlier. If reading from paper text doesn't trigger the symptoms, they can try e-ink. If anyone finds a larger screen model that doesn't trigger the problems, they can add that.
 

Wishful

Senior Member
Messages
5,679
Location
Alberta
(except that even LED flashlights bother me, and they don't flicker)

Actually, some might flicker. Some flashlights use a PWM current regulator, so there could be flicker, though I expect most would have way too high a switching rate to register on the eyes.
 

gbells

Improved ME from 2 to 6
Messages
1,491
Location
Alexandria, VA USA
It is important for good sleep to either avoid blue light two hours before bed or to take a dose of melatonin. Not doing this will degrade your sleep quality.