Spring Training Tips: Digital Detox - Why Unplugging is Good for Your Health
Two discoveries have changed the course of humanity. The first is the discovery of fire and the second, the invention of the wheel. And now the third is the advent of the life-changing smartphone. Smartphones have come to dominate our lives. They are powerful, capable and we are completely addicted to them. The long-term effects of smartphones and wireless technology such as WiFi and Bluetooth are slowly coming to light, and while this is a topic for another post, know that your actual phone (the technology behind it) and the way you use it, does have an affect on your health.
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Most would agree that we have a heavy reliance on technology and taking a digital detox every once in a while isn’t a bad thing. Here are 4 steps you can take to detox and protect your health.
Preserve sleep and limit exposure to blue light - Blue light is a wavelength of light that is primarily present during waking hours. Virtually all phones, laptops, televisions and tablets emit blue light. If you tend to look at screens, especially in the evening, this shuts down melatonin production in the eye. Simply put, if melatonin becomes limited, your sleep goes south. Keep screen times to a minimum, especially at night, to preserve sleep.
Prevent myopia (nearsightedness) - Myopia is becoming more prominent from the use of smartphones. Due to a narrow field of view and high glare from screens that cause you to look at the phone up close, over time it can alter your optic depth, which includes far- sighted and peripheral vision. Keep the phone at a distance; don’t look at it for too long and without the presence of ambient light.
Prevent text-neck - Poor posture when viewing your phone causes massive shearing forces on the cervical discs in the neck and increases muscular tension by trying to stabilize the weight of the skull. (The skull accounts for about 8-10% of your bodyweight!) This can cause tension headaches, migraines, vertigo and intense neck pain. Hold your smartphone at eye level and maintain a neutral head position.
Put your phone on airplane mode - Remember your smartphone is a two way microwave device sending and receiving signals constantly through your network, apps and other programs, including Bluetooth and GPS. This electromagnetic radiation can interact with your body’s electromagnetic field, strongest in the heart and brain. If you’re not going to be using your phone or WiFi for an extended period of time, such as when you’re going to sleep at night, turn the phone off and put it in airplane mode.
-- Brandon Mentore: Optimal Sport Health Clubs Personal Trainer/Health Coach, Strength and Conditioning Coach, Functional Medicine Practitioner and Sports Nutritionist