Smartphones have changed how we live. We now enjoy the liberty of connecting to the world as we carry our smartphones in our pockets wherever we go. But, as our technology improves the way we live, our health may be deteriorating. Here are some disturbing facts about how your smartphone affects your brain and body health without your knowledge.

Your Psychological Health

  1. Smartphone Use Demotes Our Social Interactions The use of smartphones effectively kills your mood and pace, especially if you’re in a group setting. It steals away your attention from the people around you as well as your surroundings. It diminishes your cognitive ability in connecting and socializing with other people. This often results in further withdrawing from society and increasing the likelihood of being a “shut-in.”
  2. Smartphone Use Decreases Your Memory Smartphones are a very good vehicle for capturing the best and most memorable moments in our lives, but sometimes they are also the culprit when it comes to our memory loss. This is due to the fact that we’re solely reliant on technology to remember things for us — we stop bothering to remember things by ourselves. Therefore, these “special” moments become linked to digital photos rather than internal memories.
  3. Smartphone Use Weakens Your Inductive Reasoning Today, it is incredibly convenient to just Google the things we don’t know and get the answer in just a click. But this over-reliance on Google and on the internet to solve our problems and questions backfires on us. Dr. Gordon Pennycook, a Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology at the University of Waterloo, expresses that our over-reliance on the internet has diluted our mental intelligence and abilities to logically solve and determine correct answers on our own. This is because we are truly dependent on what the Internet is giving us. Rather than reading about things and making conclusions analytically, we assume that the answers we garner from the internet are simply correct.

Your Physical Health

Mental and psychological health are not the only things languishing because of our usage of smartphones — our physical health is deteriorating too. The convenience the smartphone provides eliminates some of the physical activities we do every day and converts them into one of our destructive “lazy” or “procrastinating” moments. 4. Smartphone Reliance Can Lead To Excessive Weight Gain The smartphone lets us access our favorite movies, games, and social media apps digitally. In just a few clicks, we are able to do whatever we want. This just worsens our sedentary behavior and lack of physical activity. These factors contribute to obesity and risks for chronic illnesses. 5. Smartphone Use Can Cause Disruptive Sleeping Patterns The blue light emitted from electronic devices disrupts our production of melatonin hormones. These hormones are the ones responsible for promoting sleep. 6. Smartphone Use Can Lead To Increased Physical Injury If you are physically less active, the muscles in your body begin to weaken, along with your endurance and immune system. This, in turn, makes you prone to physical injury. We’ve all heard about the accidents caused by driving and texting, but did you know that you are also prone to accidents while walking and texting? Smartphones can lead to physical injury by distracting you from your physical surroundings.

Productive Ways To Take A Break From Your Smartphone

  1. Enjoy Some Outdoor Activity Get out of the house more and re-establish your connection with nature. Go out for a walk or a run. Invite your friends over and play your favorite sport. Or try something new, like mountain biking or camping. Do all the outdoor activities that you love. This will also encourage your social interactions with your friends and colleagues.
  2. Read A Book Instead of reading your favorite novel on your smartphone, head to the library or bookstore and get a physical copy. Nothing beats the relaxing feeling of reading a physical book beside a window with a hot beverage.
  3. Get A Pen And Write Do you ever miss those moments of writing a letter to your special someone using a pen and paper? Or expressing all your thoughts and sentiments in a diary? It’s time to bring them back. The old-fashioned way of writing is still the best way to convey your feelings.
  4. Spend Some Time On Your Hobbies Do you love to cook, bake, or paint? Whatever you love doing, it’s time to get back to your hobbies and spend some time on yourself.
  5. Bond With Your Pets There’s a reason why dogs are considered “man’s best friend.” Spending time with your pets is a great way to relieve stress and feel happier. Featured photo credit: Luke Wroblewski via google.com