Overuse affects mental and physical health (Getty)
Research links overuse the smartphone It has a wide range of damage to physical and mental health, including constant feeling of fatigue, depression and anxiety.
Do you really have a problem?
Develop in South Koreaabout a decade ago, a scale used globally to detect a problem using a particular object when answering “yes” to these questions:
- Are you failing to accomplish the work you planned because of using your smartphone?
- Do you feel impatient and anxious when your phone is not in your hand?
- Do you constantly check your phone so you don’t miss what’s happening on social apps?
- Do people tell you that you use your smartphone a lot?
- Do you lose track of the time you spend using the device?
Children and adolescents are the biggest victims
Research indicates that the harm of smartphone use can be even greater for teens and children. A 2021 study found that time spent in front of a screen is associated with binge disorder. Teens can overeat, even when not hungry, when they are distracted by phones and screens, leading to weight gain.
Another study, in the same year, found that phone use and texting caused an increase in body mass index (BMI) and weight gain in adolescents.
This year’s analysis linked excessive phone use to disruptive behavior disorders in children.
There are a myriad of mental health implications, too. According to a review published in 2022, excessive smartphone use can exacerbate anxiety, stress and depression.
Another recent study concluded that excessive smartphone use is associated with suicidal ideation and even suicide attempts.
How do you use your smartphone in a healthy way?
Readers don’t have to sacrifice their devices completely. You only need to make the following changes as summarized by Time:
Manage notifications
Disable the sounds and notifications that flash on the screen to let you know that you have a new message on Facebook, an email message, or a video on Tik Tok. Collect them and they will reach you all at once, either every hour or less. Research has indicated that doing so can reduce stress.
Make it easier to access your phone
One of the best ways to disconnect your phone is to leave it far away, such as on a shelf. Keeping the phone behind you, or upside down, can be effective. Of course, keeping the phone in another room while you sleep is another useful strategy.
Hide social media apps
Drag all your social media and email apps into one folder that doesn’t appear on the home screen. So opening it will take some work. Even better, delete them from your phone and access them only via your laptop, which can drastically reduce the amount of time you spend browsing them.
Make it difficult to unlock the phone
Instead of taking advantage of convenience features like Face ID, use a passcode that you have to enter manually. Researchers found that adopting this method can reduce phone use?
To do list
Before you pick up your phone, make a list of exactly what you want to accomplish with it: maybe check email, find a dinner recipe, text some friends. Do not do anything that is not on your list.
Set the phone screen to grayscale
Using the screen in black and white instead of color can help reduce screen time and anxiety, as it makes the phone less attractive.
Choose the old technology
Try to buy the smallest phone possible, and keep it as long as possible.