As we are living in an increasingly connected world, each one of us are surely taking part in online activities every single day; as if it is as crucial as breathing. Have you ever imagined going back in time and ask yourself how our old folks manage to live without any of these conveniences at their perusal, many of which we are taking for granted and may now even cost us our mental and physical health? In relation with the theme of detoxification, on this week's journal, we are going to discover how all of these technology and gadgets can intervene with our well-being, as well as learning more about the benefits of unplugging.
Why are we even addicted in the first place?
Humans are creatures of habit; that simply means, when humans get accustomed to a certain pattern or habits, it's highly unlikely that they can kick it off the curb just like that. As technology develop throughout the years, little by little, they are introduced to us as an integral part of our lives. So nowadays, it's very likely to see people on their phones, even when they're not responding to messages and just scrolling through their newsfeed; it has become a new comfort zone and "shield" people from real life interactions.
What will putting away these gadgets do for our health?
These digital activities we're all guilty of doing are indeed addictive, even they’re capable of producing physical withdrawal symptoms. Research has shown that people who are glued to the internet for up to 6 hours a day experienced spikes in heart rate, blood pressure and anxiety when not using their devices. Moreso, an increased risk of loneliness, depression and anxiety are also prevalent when you spend more time flipping through social media or playing online games than you do interacting with people face-to-face.
Therefore to avoid being a real life "digital zombie", put your phones away once in a while and experience the difference. These are some benefits you can reap from it:
1. Live in the present moment
As the after effect of highly digitized society, we spend so much of our time constantly thinking about what’s happening next and worrying about what has happened in the past. Living in the present moment is very important to have a peace of mind, rather than being so highly influenced by what we see on social media. By unplugging, you’ll learn to better appreciate the world around you and focus on the present. Studies have shown that practicing mindfulness can lead to less stress, lower blood pressure, and enhanced mental health.
2. Empower your brain
All the digital processing can take a toll on our brain as well, especially when it's about information overload that can affect the way we think and our brain health in general. Of course, supplementing your brain with something that can boost brain power like our Relief Sari Kunyit is highly important, even moreso taking a break from the internet will keep your brain healthy, happy and full of creative ideas. With all the search engines that's available, it’s useful to learn do research about others' ideas and opinions, but it’s even more important to feel confident with your own thoughts and channel those creativity into something really innovative.
3. Stops multitasking
In contradiction to what most people believe, you actually can not do two things at once and expect them to be done properly. That is why, being on your phone while doing anything else is contra-productive. The brain is not designed to have the mental capacity to be able to do two things at once, so while you think it's okay to be scrolling down your timeliine while someone is trying to have a conversation, you're either not actually in the conversation or just wasting data plan because you don’t even know what you’re looking at. It's always best to put your phone down, focus on one thing at a time and not confuse your mind.
4. Spikes up your productivity level
In correlation with point number 3, putting down your phone or turning off the TV will make you even more productive than you ever thought you could be. Put your phone on silent so the notifications or sounds won’t distract you and put your complete focus towards the task at hand. Who knows, you may even finish the task faster so you’ll have the extra time at the end to do other things!
5. Have better sleep
The blue backlights in the screen of our phones, laptops, and TV have an effect on our ability to fall asleep, making our brain think it is not the time for sleep yet and prevents the production of melatonin, the hormone that causes us to fall asleep. Reduce the use of these screens at night and you'll be able to fall asleep better and notice improvements on your quality of sleep. Therefore, limit the time you spend in front of a screen at night time and make sure to turn off and put away all gadgets before hitting the sack.
