Brits spend 11 hours 48 minutes per day staring at a screen!

New research out today reveals that Brits now spend more time per day staring at screens (11.8 hours) than sleeping (7.3 hours), due to the explosive growth of tablet computers, smartphones and e-readers.
In the esure home insurance ‘Square Eyes’ poll, 61 per cent of the participants reported withdrawal symptoms if they cut down on their screen use or did not have access to one of their screens.  Frustration was the most common symptom reported (36 per cent), followed by restlessness (26 per cent) and feelings of isolation (17 per cent).
The average Brit spends three hours per day watching TV, 4.7 hours in front of computers and 1.2 hours looking at their phones.  More than two thirds (69 per cent) of Brits say that they regularly ‘multi-screen’ by using more than one piece of technology at the same time, such as using their phone while watching television.

More than a quarter (27 per cent) of Brits questioned check their phone within an average of three minutes after waking up, with 42 per cent saying that it’s the first thing that they do.  Almost a fifth (18 per cent) of those polled even admitted to checking their phones if they wake up in the middle of the night, while 37 per cent said that it was the last thing they did before going to sleep.
Far from being something that keeps people awake, 35 per cent of those polled said that they regularly fall asleep in front of their television and a worrying 13 per cent said that they actually struggle to sleep if it’s not switched on. 
The findings also show the bizarre places many Brits now admit to indulging in ‘screen time’: nine per cent admit to doing so whilst operating heavy machinery,  31 per cent whilst crossing the road, more than a quarter (28 per cent) said they have surfed the internet at a party and 13 per cent whilst at a wedding.

Nikki Sellers, Head of home insurance at esure, said: "TVs, computers and other gadgets like the iPad and e-reader have become central to peoples lives, so it’s not surprising that the average person spends so much of their time staring at a screen.  Our screen eccentric lives have also turned our homes into treasure troves of digital devices.
"We would encourage homeowners to make sure any expensive gadgets are not left in view so as to attract opportunistic thieves.  It is also important they ensure they have sufficient insurance cover to replace their gadgets should they get lost, stolen or broken."

57 per cent of Brits polled said that they regularly hold conversations while looking at a screen and 32 per cent think it is now socially acceptable to do so.  Despite this, a fifth of Brits (20 per cent) say that a pre-occupation with screens, such as surfing the internet or watching TV, has had a negative effect on their relationship and almost one in ten (eight per cent) even said that it had led to a break-up.
The under 25 age group spent the most time staring at screens per day at 14.4 hours, while men use screens for 12.4 hours throughout the day compared to women at 11.1 hours.  However, 44 per cent of women polled check their phones as soon as they wake up compared to 39 per cent of men.
Londoners displayed the most signs of screen addiction, spending 17 hours per day on average staring at screens – 5.2 hours higher than the national average.  In contrast, people from the South West stare at their screens for 10.2 hours.

No wonder I went in to the butchers and asked for an eye test!

Posted by: James