Sticking with the idea of How to Make Healthy Living a Lifestyle – and for setting you up for a Successful New Year, this week we are giving you 5 Reasons to Turn Off Your Phone – and how it can make you a happier and healthier person!
After last week’s articles [8 Reasons Why You Need to Get More Sleep and the 5 Simplest Ways to Improve Your Sleep], there should be no doubt in your mind about why you need to get plenty of sleep and why it is so important to unwind. But did you realize that one of the biggest culprits of why people can’t sleep is because of their phone?
Yep, that little piece of technology that you carry around with you 24/7 is doing more than just annoying your significant other (and kids for that matter)! It is literally hindering your ability to interact with others, get a restful night sleep (as already mentioned), and even depressing you!
Here are 5 big reasons why turning off your phone is good for you – and why it will even allow you to have a more enjoyable Holiday Season!
1) You Will Sleep More
I already wrote a whole article on Why We Need to Sleep More, so there should be no question that sleeping is important! But did you know what one of the main reasons why we don’t sleep enough is?! It’s our phones! And for several reasons:
- The bright light emitted from cell phones can mess with your circadian rhythm and literally trick your body into thinking it is still the middle of the day, making it harder for you to fall asleep.
- Emails, texts, etc. enable you to work longer into the night, making it harder for your brain to “shut down” and ease into sleep.
- Social media can “wild you up” by making you overly excited, depressed, etc. depending on whose post you are seeing and what they are doing.
- Fear of missing out. This is one of the biggest problems with cell phones before bed. You see what other people are doing and it makes you want to be doing something “fun” too so either, a) you go out and do it (meaning you aren’t going to sleep), or b) you wish you were doing it and have a hard time falling asleep because you can’t stop thinking about what you are missing out on.
2) You’ll Stress Less
Going back to the “fear of missing out” idea, and always comparing your life to others on social media can really cause you to lose sight of how good you have it. It can also cause you to spend less time on your professional duties, including work, school, etc., bringing on the stress of not having “enough time” to finish projects, homework, and the like. In fact, according to a Kent State University study, higher cell phone usage correlates to lower GPAs and higher anxiety levels.
Moreover, in a recent Forbes study, 61% of respondents reported feeling jealous, depressed or annoyed after checking their smartphone updates – but most interrupted all sorts of engagements to do it anyway. Turning off your phone weans your dependence on the rush of constant communication, and will help you feel better for it!
3) You’ll Be Healthier
While it’s not known whether or not cell phones cause cancer, they do carry health risks. Some doctors believe that keeping your cell phone near your chest raises the risk of breast cancer, and other concerns thrive around the small amounts of radiation they emit. Some even believe they can be linked to gliomas, a kind of brain tumor. Even cell phone manufacturers recommend keeping your phone between 0.5 – 1 inch at all times. For safe usage, carry your phone off your person, especially in the case of pregnancy or young children, and use a speaker or wireless handset for calls (whenever possible).
Furthermore, if you are constantly on your phone, you probably aren’t working out as intensely [or mindfully], as you would if it wasn’t near your person. Giving yourself that hour of just you time really can do wonders!
4) You’ll Improve Your Real-Life Relationships
It should be no surprise to you that people spend more time on their phones than they actually do talking and interacting with their significant others. If you don’t believe me, just look around next time you are out in public – especially when you’re out to dinner! It’s amazing how many people aren’t talking and are instead on their phones!
So how about you put down your phones while with others and start paying attention to those you have around you. Trust me, your intimate life will thank me J.
5) You’ll Learn to Value the Present
One of my biggest pet peeves is when you are trying to enjoy a family or friend get together (ie, Christmas, Hanukkah, etc.) and all you see is people trying to take pictures and then immediatly edit them and post them to social media. I get the fact that you “want to share” what’s going on, but does it have to be NOW?! I’m all for taking pictures, but if you immediately spend 10 minutes trying to make them look “perfect” before you post them, you aren’t enjoying the time you have with those around you, and are instead wasting those precious minutes on your phone.
Instead, enjoy the now and the people you currently have around you! View the festivities through your own eyes, not those of a lens, and interact with those around you, enjoying the laughs, smiles, and conversations instead of “talking” to your phone the whole time. Trust me, you’ll appreciate the value of making strong memories with loved ones in person much more than your phone will appreciate you!
Now stay tuned for next week’s Newsletter where I continue to help you make healthy living a lifestyle! And if you missed last week’s Tip (about sleeping more and reasons why you need to), CONTACT US for the Newsletter, or check out the article on our BLOG.
