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7 Best Ways to Reclaim Your Life with a Digital Detox
Why You May Be Ready for a Digital Detox While technology has improved our lives in countless ways, it has also presented many unique challenges. Due to the prevalence of digital devices, people today have grown accustomed to using social media to stay connected with the world. However, overdependence on devices can cause people to feel isolated – which is a double whammy in our stay-at-home existence. Most people place a high priority on maintaining strong connections. Sadly, social media can only provide the semblance of connection to others. "The bitter paradox of social media is that even while connected you can feel isolated." Your Brain and Screens Mounting research suggests that excessive screen time may be linked to cognitive, behavioral, and mood problems. The longing for genuine connection may create a vicious circle where a lonely individual interacts on social media only to feel more alone and isolated. This emptiness may create a craving for a deeper connection that leads to even longer screen sessions. Due to this growing hunger for connection, many have become attached to their devices over time. If left unchecked, this near-obsessive need can lead to digital dependence. Digital Dependence Few would argue that we’re becoming increasingly dependent on technology. For many, the desire to stay connected to the internet 24/7 has become a compulsion. But is there such a thing as digital dependence, and if so, does it come with a price? Leading cognitive neuroscientists (some specializing in “technopathology”) have identified new brain complications linked to society’s widespread reliance upon technology. These conditions range from a kind of separation panic over misplacing a device to hearing a phantom ring when no one is calling. Physical Complications In addition to its unhealthy influences on the brain, screen fixation also can take its toll on the body. Many screen bound individuals live a sedentary lifestyle. Becoming the proverbial “couch potato” can prevent you from maintaining healthy habits such as consistent physical activity, a healthy diet, and proper motivation to set and achieve goals…not to mention much-needed socialization. Remaining sedentary can increase risk factors for many illnesses and can even shorten your lifespan. One study found that internet obsession can even weaken immune function. Sleep Disruptions Spending long hours staring at screens can also disrupt your sleep. This is particularly true at night since the artificial light from screens can delay melatonin production and disrupt your body’s 24-hour circadian rhythms and sleep/wake cycle. Since sleep deprivation is linked to a host of mental and physical issues, it’s best to tuck in your devices at least one hour before you tuck yourself into bed. Bottom line: spending too much time browsing the internet, engaging on social media, watching TV and movies, playing video games, or occupying yourself with any other leisure activity that involves a screen, can potentially steal your health. To prevent the many adverse effects associated with screen fixation, try these 7 simple ways to improve your digital well-being: 7 Ways to Reset Your Mind with a Digital Detox 1. Get Moving When you’re sitting on the couch watching TV or YouTube, your brain isn’t being challenged. Find an outdoor activity (such as hiking, biking, walking, jogging, etc.) you enjoy so much, you’d rather do it than look at a screen. It’s recommended that you get at least 30 minutes of exercise every day, so get moving. 2. Healthy Pleasure Centers Deep inside the brain, your pleasure centers respond to several neurotransmitters, particularly dopamine. When dopamine is depleted, low mood and motivation are much more likely to occur. Monitor your high-excitement activities, limit video games, and boost your dopamine naturally by engaging in meaningful conversations and fun outdoor activities. 3. Tech Timeout It’s not unusual for parents to limit their kids’ TV or tablet time, so why shouldn’t that same rule apply to adults? Establish a time when all devices will be turned off for the remainder of the evening. Not only will this provide a break from calling, texting, browsing the internet, and posting content on social media, it will allow you to spend more time with family. 4. Streamline Your Screen Time Using devices or playing video games for hours on end can be habit-forming. Excessive screen time has been linked to a greater risk of developing attention problems. Determine a screen time limit each day and use a timer to remind you to disengage from screens and engage with people. 5. Tech-free Bedroom Remove all electronic devices from your bedroom since they emit light that can stimulate the brain and keep you awake. A tech-free bedroom can help reduce harmful electromagnetic frequencies (EMF), which might also interfere with your sleep. Creating a relaxing environment, free from the distractions of the outside world, may help facilitate better sleep. 6. One Screen at a Time It’s common for people to use more than one form of technology at the same time. To prevent your attention from being divided by multiple devices, follow the “one screen at a time” rule. This should aid your ability to focus while also giving your overstimulated brain some much-needed downtime. 7. Internet Fast A great way to prevent the onset of digital dependence is to reserve one day of the week for the internet fast. Rather than being glued to a screen all day, find a new hobby, have a quality conversation, start an exercise routine, or enjoy the beauty of the great outdoors. You might be surprised at how many things you can do, and how much fun you can have while taking a break from the internet. Implementing these 7 tips can help limit your screen time, reduce your exposure to EMFs, and improve your mental, physical, and overall well-being. Most importantly, they can help you live in harmony with technology rather than being controlled by it. At BrainMD, we’re dedicated to providing the highest quality supplements to improve your physical health and overall well-being. For more information about our full list of brain healthy supplements, please visit us at BrainMD. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This content is for informational purposes only. It is not meant to substitute for medical or healthcare advice from a physician, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Consult your healthcare provider before beginning a new health regimen.
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The Best Ways to Protect Your Kid’s Eyesight
Decades ago, parents cautioned their kids to sit at least ten feet away from the family television set. Today, kids of all ages spend hours a day staring at computer screens or portable devices that are only a few inches away from their faces. How times have changed. Dangers of Excessive Screen Time Ongoing research reveals that concerns over kids and screens are justified. According to Common Sense Media, children under age 8 spend an average of two hours a day looking at a screen. Kids 8-10 years old are averaging around six hours a day staring at screens. That same research found that mobile media time has tripled from 2011-2017 among 0- to 8-year-olds. Though parents tend to focus on the behavioral and psychological dangers of screen obsession, it's possible for them to overlook the actual physical damage that can occur when their kids stare at illuminated screens for hours on end. These physical complications may include poor posture, neck strain, exposure to blue light and nearsightedness. Whether using their cell phone, tablet, or laptop to play video games, interact on social media, or study for school assignments, kids today are being set up for a host of eye problems. Keeping an Eye on Vision Problems Prolonged screen sessions can create many eye-related issues including tired or dry eyes, blurred vision, and headaches. Spending too much time looking at screens also can cause digital eye strain. Some refer to this as computer vision syndrome, a condition where extended screen time can cause visual stress. With our society’s ever-increasing dependence on technology, what can you do to protect your child’s eyes from the harmful effects of excessive screen time? Following these 5 simple tips can help reduce the adverse effects of digital eye strain… 5 Ways to Protect Your Child’s Vision from Harmful Screens 1. Take a Break Research demonstrates that taking breaks actually improves focus and efficiency. It also decreases the symptoms of digital eye strain. Train your child to practice the “20-20-20 Rule.” Every 20 minutes, have them take their eyes off the screen and look at something that’s at least 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds. This simple exercise can help realign eye muscles and reduce eye strain. Also, by switching their attention to something else for a brief period, they can return to their original task with renewed focus. 2. Blue Light Protection Due to the known potential of blue light to damage the retina of the eye and disrupt the body’s natural 24-hour circadian rhythm, awareness of its dangers, such as its relatively high intensity from LED screens, has increased over the past few years. It’s prudent to protect your child’s eyes from blue light, both from sunlight and digital devices. Polarized sunglasses can cut down on glare and blue light when your child is outside. For indoor wear, one suggested option is eyeglasses with a blue light filter in the lenses. As a precaution, make sure the tint doesn’t bother your child’s eyes before investing in blue light reduction lenses. 3. Tuck in Your Tech More and more, parents are limiting their kids’ TV or tablet time. Establish a time when all devices will be turned off for the remainder of the evening. Not only will this provide a break from calling, texting, browsing the internet and posting content on social media, it will also afford your family the opportunity to spend more quality time together. Additionally, it will give your kids’ eyes a well-earned rest after a long day of looking at screens. 4. Eye Exams When laying out your calendar, be sure to schedule annual eye exams for your kids. However, if at any time your child starts squinting or complaining about unfocused vision, headaches or other eye-related discomforts, make an appointment to see an optometrist as soon as possible. When it comes to your child’s eyesight, it’s always best to be proactive. 5. Nutritional Support Due to the dramatic amount of growth and development they experience, children need an ongoing generous daily allowance of vitamins and minerals. These nutrients are scientifically proven essential for our cells to work, and are critical for children's healthy growth, energy, vision, bone development, attention, learning, memory, and behavior. Failure to get enough of these nutrients leads to serious health problems, regardless of the child's age or stage of development. A great way to help your kids get the nutrients they need is with high-quality dietary supplements. At BrainMD, we offer a wide array of brain directed nutraceutical ingredients in supplements designed to assist kids in reaching their fullest potential. Two of these nutrients – lutein and zeaxanthin – are essential for coping with blue light and other vision stressors. Lutein and Zeaxanthin Lutein and zeaxanthin are essential for vision and eye health. They are are carotenoid nutrients that are highly concentrated in the eyes and some zones of the brain. They're actively accumulated by the brain, and clinical findings suggest they are involved in memory and likely other cognitive brain functions. Lutein and zeaxanthin are the yellow-orange pigments of the retina, needed for the retina's electrical activity that translates into vision. They also protect the light-sensing cells of the retina against light damage – extremely important because light coming into the eye carries high energy that can kill these cells. They are also essential for efficient glare discrimination. Lutein and zeaxanthin are practically vitamins, since the body can’t make them and we must get them from our diet. They are mostly present in leafy-green and yellow-red vegetables; surveys indicate many people aren’t getting enough of these nutrients from their foods. Sadly, very few multiples provide lutein and zeaxanthin. To ensure your kids get the eye-strengthening support they need daily, consider having them take the multivitamin that has generous amounts of lutein and zeaxanthin… Kids’ NeuroVite Multivitamin Chewables BrainMD’s Kids’ NeuroVite Multivitamin Chewables was designed to bridge the nutrition gap in the modern diet and remove the guesswork from which multiple vitamin-mineral supplement is best for your children. Kids’ NeuroVite provides the vitamins and minerals that are needed for healthy minds and active bodies. With our intense on purity, optimal absorption, and utilization, we selected the nutrient ingredients best documented for kids’ safety and overall health. This science-based formulation provides generous amounts of nutrients to support brain and body maturation during your child’s formative years. Kids’ NeuroVite provides ultra-pure, brain directed ingredients that help: make energy (magnesium, the B vitamins, iodine) process sugars from the diet (chromium, B vitamins) ensure the brain’s maturation (methylfolate, methyl-vitamin B12, vitamin D, choline) promote healthy immunity (the B vitamins, vitamin C, zinc, selenium) protect against toxins (vitamins A, C and E, zinc, copper, manganese, molybdenum, hesperidin) support the electrical activity of the retina and the brain (lutein, zeaxanthin) provide a foundation for bones, skin and other organs (vitamins D and K, calcium, silicon, boron) Kids’ NeuroVite surpasses other conventional brands in both the quality and quantity of its ingredients. Kids’ NeuroVite has nearly 3 times more ingredients than the average kids’ vitamin. Its diverse set of over 50 nutrients makes it the best multiple vitamin-mineral supplement to keep kids healthy and give you peace of mind. Your child will love the taste of the orange-flavored chewables, which are free from sugar, dairy, gluten, corn, eggs, soy, nuts, and artificial colorings or flavorings. Implementing these tips can help protect your child’s eyesight so they can have 20/20 vision in 2020 and beyond. At BrainMD, we’re dedicated to providing the highest purity nutrients to give your children the energy, focus and mental sharpness they need to succeed in school and in life. For more information about our full list of supplements, please visit us at BrainMD.
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