You know that you should be studying, but that text from your best friend looks so inviting. You give in, thinking that it will only take a second. Next thing you know you’re checking Facebook, then you’re watching the latest viral videos. Or maybe you opt to take a 15 minute break to watch a TV show. The 15 minute break inadvertently becomes a 45 minute break as you cheer on your favorite character. Like it or not, one of those situations has probably happened to you at some point in time.
According to Nielsen’s Total Audience Report, “Americans aged 18 and older spend more than 11 hours a day watching TV, listening to the radio or using smartphones and other electronic devices.” As Americans use technology more and more for entertainment, staying connected with friends and family or finding something to do when they’re bored, they may be unintentionally rewiring their brains in unconventional ways. The New York Times reports that increased electronic stimulation can lead to decreased attention spans, distraction from other important priorities such as homework or sleep, decreased memory capacity and trouble focusing and setting priorities. Becoming untethered from their electronic support systems allows Americans to obtain a much needed break from the constant stimulation that has become a norm in our society and live more in the moment.
Electronics allow advertisers to reach millions of people and potentially sell millions more products. Advertisers will get attention any way they can, even if that means forcing Americans to watch 15 second advertisements. Studies have shown that even adults who consider themselves immune to advertisements are subtly manipulated by marketing tactics. Kids are even more susceptible to the affects of advertising. By taking a break from electronics, people are viewing fewer ads and therefore are less inclined to buy as many products.
The constant stimulation also has another effect. In order for memories to form, studies have shown that rats need a break from new experiences in order to retain the memory. The same goes for humans. Loren Frank, Associate Professor in the Department of Physiology at the University of California, San Francisco, believes that when the brain is constantly stimulated, “you prevent this learning process.” Taking a break from electronics allows memory to improve since the brain can solidify new experiences.
Constant stimulation also takes a toll on people’s energy. A study by the University of Michigan indicated that people learned better after walking in nature as opposed to walking in a dense urban environment, indicating that processing large amounts of information saps one’s energy. By unplugging from electronics, people are increasing the energy they have available to do other tasks.
Unplugging also allows people to have more free time, since they don’t spend as much time glued to the screen. Instead of spending their time watching T.V. or playing games, they can do something non-media related like reading a book or spending time with family. According to a 2011 survey by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American spends 2.8 hours every day watching T.V. Even cutting that down by 30 minutes gives people 210 minutes more each week to spend doing something else. Removing electronics from the equation also allows people to have more meaningful social interactions. Instead of being distracted by the phone or laptop, people can focus on those trying to interact with them. They may be able to pick up subtle body language that they would miss otherwise. According to an unplugged study, students who left their electronics off for 10 minutes reported “paying more attention to other human beings, enjoying deeper and more serious conversations, and generally feeling more connected to friends and family.”
Getting off of electronics can also relieve stress. In addition to being disconnected from the pressures of work which can be hard to get away from, people also become disconnected from social media. Researchers in the UK reported that social media can make us lack self-confidence because people compare their lives to an idealized version of other people’s lives.
The constant bombardment of media also affects sleep. Small amounts of screen light filtering through the retina causes a delay in the release of the sleep inducing hormone, melatonin. The mental stimulation caused by technology also makes it harder for the brain to shut down for sleep. According to the National Sleep Foundation, teenagers who turned off their devices when they slept received approximately 2 more hours of sleep than those who didn’t.
Contrary to most people’s beliefs, devices actually harm our health and productivity more than they help it. As a nation, we need to rein back our media time and reengage with the world around us. Instead of staring down at our devices, we need to look up and engage with the people and planet around us.