ON THE COVER Prescribe Yourself A Digital Detox
Do you spend too much time with head bent over a smartphone? Well, don’t worry – help is at hand…
You’re sitting in a bistro, updating social media on your phone, waiting on your chum who sent you a text and a selfie to let you know she’s running late. There’s a clatter as an empty tray falls to the floor and when you look up you notice that nearly everyone around you has their head down, looking at their phone or tablet – even those at tables with others, but they aren’t strangers sharing a table; they came in together.
Taken as an isolated incident, there is nothing wrong with that scenario, but if we are honest, we all encounter situations like it every day. Research shows that many of us spend hours on end staring at a screen. We have smartphones, laptops, tablets, even Sat Navs, and now interact more with screens than we do with the people around us.
Health professionals are warning us that our constant scrolling, clicking and sharing isn’t good for our mental or physical wellbeing, and too much screen time before trying to sleep is affecting not only the time it takes us to fall asleep, but also the quality of our sleep. Many of us are showing signs of screen and technology addiction, and for some it’s serious enough to warrant entering rehab.
Sleeplessness, poor concentration, anxiety, loneliness and depression can be side effects of screen time, but switching off and tuning in to what else life has to offer is never more than an off-button away!