Your Brain on Screens: Digital Detox How Disconnecting from Devices Can Improve Your Quality of Life
Our modern age of science and technology is marked by the access we have to anything – literally anything – at our fingertips. Technology, screens, devices, “gadgets,” as they were once called, are constantly either being used by us or demanding our attention by sending us notifications. Oldsters like to tell us, “those things are turning your brain to mush,” and we all chuckle and roll our eyes – but could there be some truth to this old rhetoric?
What does constant screen time do to your health?
There’s a myriad of factors that make an over-abundance of screen time have negative effects on our health. From an emotional and psychological standpoint, constant connection, not just to the internet and social media, but devices altogether, can take a toll on our quality of life and overload senses.
How does time online negatively effect us?
Self-image problems and lower self-esteem. Since we determine what is posted on our social media, most people who spend excessive amounts of time on social media sites tend to fall into the trap of comparing their insides to the perfect, altered, touched-up outsides that influencers and celebrities (and even their friends) present.
Sleep issues. The backlight from devices interferes with the brain’s sleep cycle and can prevent a good nights sleep when the constant activity blocks our brains from releasing melatonin – a key chemical in our brains that helps us to fall asleep.
Depression and anxiety. Some studies have indicated that screen time is a predictor of depressive symptoms. Rising rates of depression and anxiety in children are complexly correlated with excessive screen time. Due to the constant availability of screens and social media, people have less opportunities to take mental breaks from society so that their minds can get some rest.
Weight gain and lack of physical activity. Too much time in sedentary activities, like video games, watching television, or even scrolling social media can be a risk factor for obesity.
Unhealthy eating habits. When eating while using a device (be it a phone, tablet, laptop, or television), we’re less likely to listen to our brain and body’s signals of when we’re full, thus we engage in more mindless eating even when we aren’t hungry.
Lack of time management. Face it – we’ve all lost time scrolling feeds, combing over emails, and watching re-runs of our favorite tv shows.
Work ethic problems. This should be self-explanatory, when our phone’s are constantly commanding our attention, or when we get bored filling out expense reports – how easy is it to pull up personal emails, scroll social media, or even fall down a rabbit hole of the most recent thing your mind has fixated on.
Perhaps the more insane fact behind all of this, is that we have an awareness of just how attached to our devices we are – 61% of people admit that they’re addicted to the internet, their devices, or both, and 25% of smartphone owners between the ages of 18 and 44 can’t remember the last time their phone wasn’t right next to them!
Heavy smartphone use has obvious effects on our mental health, but studies show that our physical health can be just as impacted. Long-term smartphone use has been linked to changes in the brain similar to that of a drug or alcohol addiction – every swipe or scroll releases a hit of dopamine into the brain, the same feel-good chemical released from drugs and alcohol.
What is a “Digital Detox?”
With the constant demands from our devices for most, if not all, of our attention, more and more people are turning towards what is known as a “digital detox.” A digital detox is a period of time intentionally spent either reducing the amount of time spent on a device, or opting to disconnect completely. Spending a period of time reducing the hours spent on devices, or unplugging completely can improve your quality of life and it doesn’t even have to be a prolonged stretch of quitting entirely. You choose what your digital detox looks like based on your comfort level (and maybe your level of addiction), some choose to unplug completely for 24 hours to a week, while others choose to work consciously at limiting the number of hours spent on their devices each day for a month or a year.
But, like, How Will Disconnecting From Everything Help ME?
Here’s just a few of the benefits of a digital detox:
Calm down and feel content. Some social experiments have found that taking scheduled breaks from devices can lower stress levels, increase focus on present moment and allow pay more attention to surroundings
Be more productive. Scrolling, liking, posting, and surfing the internet is time consuming. How many people have lost an hour of their life in what felt like a minute on TikTok? Mindless time spent on devices leaches time away from your responsibilities. Setting your phone aside will help you to focus on tasks that need to get done.
Feel better about yourself. Social media apps lead you to comparing yourself (both your physical appearance, as well as you position in life and socio-economic status) with others constantly – this can effect how you view yourself. Cutting back can boost self-image and esteem.
Get healthier. Being glued to your phone or device for several hours can lead to eye strain, dry eyes, blurry vision, teary eyes, and headaches. This may cause you to hunch over leading to spine and neck issues. Disconnecting allows for relief on your body.
Sleep better. When your body knows it is time for sleep, your brain releases melatonin to help you relax and drift off. staring at your phone right before bed keeps your brain alert and active and delays the release of melatonin. Lack of sleep over periods of time effects mood and health.
Make Small Changes to Start
The reluctance to disconnect is understandable, especially when technology is so integrated into our day-to-day lives from work to the way we pay for groceries (thanks for ruining everything, Apple Pay!).
Here are some key digital detox tips where you can make small changes that can lead to big results in your quality of life:
Turn off push notifications. Every time you hear a ding on your watch or phone, or you see the screen light up, your brain has been trained to pay attention to it. Facial recognition has worsened this, as you are given a reward immediately upon looking at your device. Turning off push notifications for social media apps or email, and especially all those apps you don’t even use that you still allow to send you BS, will greatly reduce the number of times you look at your phone, thus demanding your attention far less.
Put away your phone during particular time periods. Consider the age-old “no phones at the dinner table,” or try not to have your phone be the first thing you look at in the morning. Maybe limit the time you allow yourself to look at your phone during work by tucking it away in your purse or desk so you can concentrate more closely to the work you’re actually being paid to do.
Designate tech-free hours. Similar to the previous point, but with stricter time limits. Say you won’t use any digital technology between the hours of 5pm and 7pm to allow yourself time to naturally unwind from the workday, have a mindful meal, and connect with those you live with, or go for a walk.
Make certain areas of your home “tech free areas.” One place we’ve seen this used time and time again is the bedroom, especially for couples. No one likes the feeling when they climb into bed and their partner doesn’t even notice because they’re so absorbed in their phone. Don’t give me the “I use my phone as an alarm clock,” excuse – here’s your solution (try this oldie-but-a-goodie alarm clock!). Now plug your phone in to charge in another room and spend some quality time with your partner, a good book, or your favorite Squishmallow.
Re-discover paper. Instead of opening the Notes app every time you need to jot something down to remember, try using the age-old method of paper and pen. Also, read books and articles in their paper form (newspaper, books, etc.)
Limit yourself to one screen at a time. No more homework while law and order is running in the background; no more shifting your focus between your personal cell phone and your work laptop. Just take it one thing at a time, or, in this case, one screen at a time.
The power of DND. Our favorite feature when we don’t want to hear from anyone is Do Not Disturb. Instead of using it as a petty way to let your boyfriend know you’re “going to bed” at 6pm, try setting specific hours of Do Not Disturb on your phone, at which time you can dedicate your attention and time to more productive activities, or, again, doing that job that you’re paid for – remember? The one they hired you to do?
If a miracle device could offer you reduced stress, increased productivity and creativity, improved sleep quality, better physical health, improved relationships, reduction of depression and anxiety symptoms, and just the overall feeling of being happier – well we know this item would fly off the shelf like $50 flat screens at Walmart on Black Friday. But what if we told you that this is the overall benefit of reducing or eliminating the attachment you have to your devices? Would you be willing to buy in?
