On the 11th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me… A new iphone 11! Hold up… Is this really a gift to reflect one’s affection for another? I’m sure you’ve heard the old story about the impact of too much screen time on your behavior. So, before you decide to buy your true love a new phone for Christmas, let’s unwrap some knowledge about what gadget use does to the brain…
1. It’s not necessarily just about what screen time is doing to your brain… it’s about what your brain is NOT doing while scrolling through your social media or playing a game… While you’re viewing images on your phone, it’s likely your attention is not focused on the people, places, and things around you. You might’ve missed a few details while your daughter shares her recital experience with you. You might’ve missed sharing a smile with a stranger who recently lost a loved one. Bottom line is, longer screen time means longer periods of disconnecting from your social environment. And your social environment can be a source for strengthening cognitive skills, reducing stress, and lowering your risk of developing dementia.
2. Who doesn’t love the feeling of a good night’s sleep? Who would love a restful getaway to the beach or to the mountains right about now? That’s another unfortunate reality with screen time. It’s not giving you the rest you need. Within the last decade, multitudes of research studies have found links between poor quality of sleep and use of gadgets (i.e. video games, watching t.v, texting, and social media). If you want to achieve optimal rest during the holidays, detach from the phone, as a start.
3. The holidays can be very difficult for some. You might relate to this. The last thing a hurting individual wants to see on social media is how their holiday is lacking while others are having the time of their life (supposedly). This is just an example of what’s called upward social comparison. The overuse of social media increases the risk of comparison which can have a negative impact on self-worth, self-image, and self-concept.
4. #mood. As mentioned above, spending overtime on social media, texts, video games, even e-mail prevents does NOT encourage new learning for the brain. As Dr. Daniel Amen relates in The Brain Warrior’s Way, in the absence of new learning, the risk of dementia AND… guess what… DEPRESSION increase! That sounds awful but it isn’t the only thing. Addiction to gadgets can cause your IQ to decrease. :O BTW, this study was actually sponsored by Hewlett-Packard… #shook
To wrap up our 11th Christmas gift to you, think before you spend hundreds of dollars on the latest gadget this holiday season. Consider protecting your loved one’s brain health. If you want gift ideas, consider investing in activities that promote connection and not distance, rest and not distraction, worth and not conflict, and a happier mood instead of sadness and a low IQ. #changinglivesonebrainatatime #brainhealth #loveyourbrain #christmas #give #bba #brainandbehaviorassociates
Happy Holiday!
Kristen