• Safwan AMM
• 19 August, 2025

Trapped by the Lankan Screen: A Sobering Scroll Story

The Big Reveal (Spoiler: It’s a Lot)

Imagine this: Sri Lankan adults are spending 32 days a year noodling away on social media apps. Over an average life expectancy of about 78 years, that adds up to five years, four months, and 22 days—or roughly 6.9% of your life—spent endlessly scrolling. ﹙Yes, I did the math—turning your precious youth into memes and cat videos.﹚

Here’s What Sri Lankan Digital Life Actually Looks Like

Social media reach: As of January 2025, Sri Lanka had 8.20 million social media user identities, about 35.4% of the total population (datareportal.com).

Internet usage: Around 12.4 million people were online, meaning roughly 53.6% of the population had some internet access (datareportal.com).

Life expectancy: The average life expectancy hovers between 77 and 78 years (macrotrends.net, worldometers.info).

While these stats don’t directly measure social media time per person, they give solid context to our scrolling habits.

Why It Feels Like Nostalgic Doom-Scrolling

Hooked by design: Platforms are built to keep you swiping—endless feeds, autoplay reels, dopamine hits designed to trap your attention. You’re literally not in control—the app is .

Lost "alpha state": Those precious moments of daydreaming—where ideas and creativity are born—are sacrificed for screen time .

Health and heartache: Excessive screen use steals sleep, strains your eyes, and can leave you feeling lonely, disconnected, or glued to your chair with bad posture and weak back muscles . (Yes, your spine hates that slouch.)

A Lankan Wake-Up Call (With a Dash of Sri Lankan Humor)

“Five years of your life in memes and dopamine drops—sound scary? It should! It’s like watching Peaky Blinders in your dreams every night.”

Real talk: It's not about going full digital detox—no one’s ready to throw their phone into the sea. It's about being intentional.

How to Reclaim Your Life (Without Looking Like a Monk)

Tip :    What to Do :-    Why It Helps

1. Set a goal before unlocking your phone:    “I will check one message and reply. Done.”  :- Stops you from falling into the TikTok vortex.
2. Use in-built timers & focus modes:    Set 30-min daily caps or “no-phone zones” in kitchens/bedrooms. :-  Keeps screens from eating your whole day.
3. Curate your feed: Follow people who inspire, not just the funniest cats. :-  Turns scrolling into learning or inspiration.
4. Replace idle scrolling :  Take sweet ol’ micro-breaks—stretch, stroll, brew that perfect tea. :- Gives your body and mind a hug.
5. Teach kids better habits: Screen-free dinner, bedtime stories with real books.:-  Better habits start at home.

In Short: Balance > Block

Sure, social media can be a time sink—like a leaky bucket that slowly drains your day. But you don’t need to throw away the bucket; just fix the leak.

> “Set a 30-minute scroll limit—it’s like saying, ‘No, I don’t need to watch all the cricket highlights. Just today’s winning shot will do.’”

Final Thoughts – With Heart

Losing nearly 7% of your life to the screen might feel like a bad joke—but maybe it’s the wake-up punch we need. In Sri Lanka, where laughter, connection, and creativity are in our roots, let’s bring the attention back offline too.

Because at the end of our lives, it isn’t about how many TikToks we saw—it’s about the stories we lived and shared. So maybe let’s trade a reel for a real moment. Your future self will thank you (and your eyes will too).

-PROBRIGHT