Stroke Causes: Checking your phone as soon as you wake up, working on your computer for hours, and browsing social media before bed have become commonplace. Consequently, claims of screen time and stroke continue to surface.

Can looking at a mobile phone or laptop cause a stroke?

Stroke Awareness and Risk: World Stroke Day is celebrated every year on October 29th. The purpose of this day is to raise awareness about stroke and explain the risks associated with it. Today, mobile phones, laptops, and computers have become a part of our daily lives. Checking our phones as soon as we wake up, working on our computers for hours, and browsing social media before bed have become commonplace. Consequently, many claims about screen time and stroke continue to surface. The question is, can prolonged use of a mobile phone or laptop directly lead to a stroke?

Sitting, not screen time, may be the biggest reason.

According to Dr. K.K. Jindal, Director of the Department of Neuroscience at CK Birla Hospital in Delhi, screen time itself has not been proven to be a direct cause of stroke. However, the inactive behavior often associated with prolonged screen use may increase the risk of stroke over time. A stroke occurs when the blood supply to a part of the brain is cut off. This is usually due to a blockage in a blood vessel or bleeding in the brain. This lack of oxygen can damage brain cells. This is why it is crucial to seek treatment as soon as possible after a stroke.

Sitting for hours can increase the risk.

The biggest cause for concern about prolonged screen time may not be the screen itself, but the hours spent sitting in front of it. Sitting for long periods of time without physical activity can increase the risk of problems like weight gain, high blood pressure, diabetes, and bad cholesterol, all of which are significant risk factors for stroke.

A study published in Stroke, the journal of the American Stroke Association, found that adults aged 60 years and younger who spent at least eight hours a day engaged in sedentary recreational activities and had low physical activity had a higher risk of stroke than those who were more active. While this study doesn't prove a direct cause-and-effect relationship between screen time and stroke, it does suggest a link between prolonged inactivity and stroke risk.

Screen hours alone don't tell you the dangers.

Screen time alone cannot predict stroke risk. For example, someone who works at a computer all day but exercises regularly may have a different risk than someone who sits for the same number of hours and engages in little to no physical activity. Sitting for long periods of time can impact the body's metabolic health and blood circulation. Furthermore, using a mobile phone or laptop late into the night can impact sleep. Poor sleep can make it difficult to control blood pressure and metabolic health.

However, there's no set screen time limit that definitely increases a person's risk of having a stroke. Prolonged phone use doesn't necessarily mean a person is going to have a stroke.

These people need to be more careful.

People with high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, obesity, or heart disease should pay special attention to their health. Those who have previously experienced a stroke or TIA should also monitor their health as advised by their doctor. Blood pressure is especially important, as high blood pressure is one of the most important controllable risk factors for stroke. Regular blood pressure monitoring, treatment as advised by your doctor, and adequate physical activity can help reduce the risk of stroke in the long run.

Even the youth should not consider themselves safe.

Young people shouldn't assume that strokes only happen to older people. The risk of stroke increases with age, but strokes can happen even at a younger age, especially if medical conditions or other risk factors are present.

No need to leave the screen; walk in between

It's not possible for everyone to completely stop using screens, especially those whose work relies on computers or mobile phones. Therefore, it's important to avoid sitting in one place for long hours. Getting up and moving frequently, taking a walk while talking on the phone if possible, stretching between tasks, and incorporating physical activity into your daily routine can be helpful.

Adults should aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate physical activity each week, including muscle-strengthening exercises as needed. A balanced diet, avoiding tobacco, limiting alcohol consumption, and adequate sleep are also essential for physical and mental health.

Reducing screen time alone won't prevent stroke.

Most importantly, reducing screen time alone won't prevent stroke. For people with conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol, keeping these conditions under control is even more important.

It is important to recognize the symptoms of a stroke.

Recognizing the symptoms of a stroke is equally important. Sudden facial drooping, weakness or numbness on one side of the body, difficulty speaking, sudden vision loss, severe imbalance, or a sudden, severe headache without any apparent cause may be signs of a stroke. If these symptoms appear, seek emergency medical help immediately, even if they resolve on their own after a few minutes.