Doctor reveals 3 habits to avoid 'killing your brain' while using your phone
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Disclaimer: This article should not be considered medical advice. Readers are recommended to seek guidance from their doctors for an accurate diagnosis.
In today’s modern era, our smartphones have almost become our 24/7 companion. From keeping us informed and entertained to facilitating communication with loved ones, these devices offer unparalleled convenience.
However, with the increased reliance on technology, concerns about their potential effects on our health have emerged.
Case in point: A doctor reveals just how much your digital addictions could be harming your well-being.
Harvard stress expert and lecturer on global health and social medicine, Dr Aditi Nerurkar discussed how our brains are negatively affected by our mobile phones.
She warned that indulging in certain phone habits could be silently damaging our brains and bodies in three key ways—which she revealed below.
Scrolling on Your Phone Late at Night
We've all been guilty of mindlessly scrolling before bed. But did you know this behaviour can lead to a phenomenon called ‘popcorn brain’?
According to Dr Nerurkar, our brains have a ‘primal urge’ to scan for threats at night, left over from our caveman days. But in modern times, we've replaced the campfire with our phone screens.
‘In recent times, there's been a lot of bad news. In fact, it feels like the onslaught of bad news, one thing after another, whether it's a climate disaster or a conflict in a certain part of the world or something or the other, is always happening now,’ she explained.
‘The information stream is rapid and unprecedented, and so we are constantly scrolling and scanning for danger.’
'When we were all cave people, there was a night watch person. That person would sit by the fire while the tribe would sleep, and that person would scan for danger to keep the tribe safe,’ she added.
‘In modern times, we have all become that night watch person, and we scroll incessantly when we feel a sense of stress because it is our primal urge.’
‘It is the way our amygdala (parts of the brain responsible for processing emotional stimuli) feels a sense of safety because we are scanning for danger.’
‘But we are no longer in a tribe, we're not cave people anymore. So what do we do? We scroll, that is how we are scanning for danger, especially when we are feeling stressed,’ she explained.
Checking Your Phone Constantly
How quickly do you reach for your phone in the morning? A shocking 62 per cent check within 15 minutes of waking, according to Dr Nerurkar's research.
‘Studies show that 62 per cent of people check their phones within 15 minutes of waking up, and about 50 per cent check them in the middle of the night. I'm guilty of this,’ she said.
‘Most of us check our phones 2,600 times a day, that is a statistic...When you wake up, before your second eye is even open, you are scrolling.’
Frequent checking satisfies our compulsion to scan for threats but at a high cost to stress levels.
To regain control, Dr Nerurkar suggested limiting phone time to just 20 minutes per day, ‘and set a timer if you have to for engaging and consuming’.
Exposing Yourself to Graphic Content Online
While bringing us closer to world events, seeing disturbing images and videos shared online takes a mental toll.
According to studies cited by Dr Nerurkar, even viewing graphic content from the other side of the world significantly raises the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and indirect trauma.
‘Graphic images and videos on your phone can increase your risk of PTSD and mental health conditions, as it triggers the fight or flight response and can lead to indirect trauma,’ she explained.
‘Studies that your risk of PTSD increases when you consume graphic images, even if that thing that you're consuming is happening thousands of miles away, like any conflict, any climate disaster, anything.’
‘If you start consuming graphic images and videos, you increase your risk of PTSD, even though you have not had any direct trauma because it's indirect trauma that you're seeing,’ Dr Nerurkar continued.
‘And so it's a cycle. The more videos you consume or, the more graphic content you consume, your amygdala gets fired up, your primal urge to scroll starts going haywire, and then you scroll some more, and then you scroll some more because you don't feel safe. This is a common occurrence,’ she added.
While Dr Nerurkar recommends just limiting your usage of smartphones, some Australians have taken things to the next level, with many even resorting to trading their high-tech smartphones and reverting to using simpler and less distracting ‘dumbphones’ or feature phones. You can read more about this here.
Key Takeaways:
How many hours a day do you scroll on your phone? Have you experienced any effects Dr Nerurkar mentioned? Let us know in the comments below!
In today’s modern era, our smartphones have almost become our 24/7 companion. From keeping us informed and entertained to facilitating communication with loved ones, these devices offer unparalleled convenience.
However, with the increased reliance on technology, concerns about their potential effects on our health have emerged.
Case in point: A doctor reveals just how much your digital addictions could be harming your well-being.
Harvard stress expert and lecturer on global health and social medicine, Dr Aditi Nerurkar discussed how our brains are negatively affected by our mobile phones.
She warned that indulging in certain phone habits could be silently damaging our brains and bodies in three key ways—which she revealed below.
Dr Aditi Nerurkar discussed the negative effects of mobile phone use on the brain.
Credit: Instagram / @draditinerurkar
Credit: Instagram / @draditinerurkar
Scrolling on Your Phone Late at Night
We've all been guilty of mindlessly scrolling before bed. But did you know this behaviour can lead to a phenomenon called ‘popcorn brain’?
According to Dr Nerurkar, our brains have a ‘primal urge’ to scan for threats at night, left over from our caveman days. But in modern times, we've replaced the campfire with our phone screens.
‘In recent times, there's been a lot of bad news. In fact, it feels like the onslaught of bad news, one thing after another, whether it's a climate disaster or a conflict in a certain part of the world or something or the other, is always happening now,’ she explained.
‘The information stream is rapid and unprecedented, and so we are constantly scrolling and scanning for danger.’
'When we were all cave people, there was a night watch person. That person would sit by the fire while the tribe would sleep, and that person would scan for danger to keep the tribe safe,’ she added.
‘In modern times, we have all become that night watch person, and we scroll incessantly when we feel a sense of stress because it is our primal urge.’
‘It is the way our amygdala (parts of the brain responsible for processing emotional stimuli) feels a sense of safety because we are scanning for danger.’
‘But we are no longer in a tribe, we're not cave people anymore. So what do we do? We scroll, that is how we are scanning for danger, especially when we are feeling stressed,’ she explained.
Checking Your Phone Constantly
How quickly do you reach for your phone in the morning? A shocking 62 per cent check within 15 minutes of waking, according to Dr Nerurkar's research.
‘Studies show that 62 per cent of people check their phones within 15 minutes of waking up, and about 50 per cent check them in the middle of the night. I'm guilty of this,’ she said.
‘Most of us check our phones 2,600 times a day, that is a statistic...When you wake up, before your second eye is even open, you are scrolling.’
Frequent checking satisfies our compulsion to scan for threats but at a high cost to stress levels.
To regain control, Dr Nerurkar suggested limiting phone time to just 20 minutes per day, ‘and set a timer if you have to for engaging and consuming’.
Exposing Yourself to Graphic Content Online
While bringing us closer to world events, seeing disturbing images and videos shared online takes a mental toll.
According to studies cited by Dr Nerurkar, even viewing graphic content from the other side of the world significantly raises the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and indirect trauma.
‘Graphic images and videos on your phone can increase your risk of PTSD and mental health conditions, as it triggers the fight or flight response and can lead to indirect trauma,’ she explained.
‘Studies that your risk of PTSD increases when you consume graphic images, even if that thing that you're consuming is happening thousands of miles away, like any conflict, any climate disaster, anything.’
‘If you start consuming graphic images and videos, you increase your risk of PTSD, even though you have not had any direct trauma because it's indirect trauma that you're seeing,’ Dr Nerurkar continued.
‘And so it's a cycle. The more videos you consume or, the more graphic content you consume, your amygdala gets fired up, your primal urge to scroll starts going haywire, and then you scroll some more, and then you scroll some more because you don't feel safe. This is a common occurrence,’ she added.
While Dr Nerurkar recommends just limiting your usage of smartphones, some Australians have taken things to the next level, with many even resorting to trading their high-tech smartphones and reverting to using simpler and less distracting ‘dumbphones’ or feature phones. You can read more about this here.
Key Takeaways:
- Dr Aditi Nerurkar, a Harvard stress expert, warns that certain phone habits can negatively impact mental health and contribute to 'popcorn brain'.
- The doctor advises against late-night scrolling, frequent phone checks upon waking, and exposure to graphic content to reduce stress and mental health risks.
- Limiting phone usage to 20 minutes a day and establishing digital boundaries are recommended for mental well-being.
- Consuming traumatic content on mobile devices can increase the risk of PTSD and mental health conditions through indirect trauma.
How many hours a day do you scroll on your phone? Have you experienced any effects Dr Nerurkar mentioned? Let us know in the comments below!
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