With pop-up alerts, your smartphone likely keeps you posted on the number of hours you’ve been staring at the screen. And those screentime hours don’t even include the time you spend in front of your computer.
The technology we now take for granted offers marvelous benefits. But it also comes with risks.
Dr. Richard E. Cytowic understands this better than most. He’s an award-winning neurologist and a recognized expert on how the use of technology affects our brains. He’s author of Your Stone Age Brain in the Screen Age: Coping with Digital Distraction and Sensory Overload.
Cytowic says the pandemic lockdowns highlighted how reliant we have become on screens for work and so–called “social” engagement. According to Verizon, he reports, screen time skyrocketed and people began to see that while digital tools help us communicate and be productive, they can also come to dominate our lives. “The abrupt shift to virtual interactions illuminated the mental and emotional costs of excessive screen exposure: increased anxiety, Zoom fatigue, and loss of genuine in–person engagement. It forced us to confront the reality that screens are both helpful and harmful depending on how we manage their use.”
This leads one to wonder, in terms of thinking skills, communication competency, and social relationships, what is screen dependency doing to our upcoming generation?
“Screen dependency interferes with areas of the developing brain devoted to emotional intelligence,” Cytowic says. “It degrades attention and focused thinking, given how screens promote constant distraction and a superficial intake of information.” He says the ability to talk face–to–face has deteriorated because younger generations are more comfortable texting than engaging in person. “They can’t make small talk. They’re terrified of doorbells and ringing phones. They can’t read body language and nonverbal cues, and thus have reduced empathy for others. Because they they substitute meaningful connections with digital ones, kids and teens feel isolated despite the illusion of being virtually ‘connected.’”
Cytowic “smartphone disorder” can manifest itself in several ways:
- constant checking, even in inappropriate situations such as while driving or in the middle of a conversation with someone else
- anxiety when the phone is taken away or not available
- a preference for digital engagement over in–person exchanges
- disrupted sleep thanks to late-night use
- neglect of responsibilities and obligations to others in favor of continued screen use
“These behaviors reflect dependency, a behavioral addiction in which an individual feels a compulsive need to engage with their phone at the expense of actual person–to–person social interaction,” Cytowic says.
In layman’s terms, what effect does blue screen light have on normal sleep?
Cytowic says the short–wave blueish light that screens throw off suppresses melatonin, the hormone that signals your body that it’s time to sleep.
“When exposed to blue light after sunset and especially before bedtime—scrolling through TikTok or streaming TV, say—the brain thinks it is still daytime, making it harder to fall asleep and disrupting the four stages of normal sleep plus REM sleep during which we dream,” he says. “The disruption of normal sleep architecture results in impaired learning and memory consolidation that can linger up to three days. This loss is irreversible, which should make students who wish to learn wary of hugging their screens late at night. They are undermining their ability to learn and remember.”
Cytowic says screens are the new secondhand smoke.
“Like secondhand smoke, screen exposure doesn’t affect only the person using it, but everyone around them,” he says. “Anyone in the line of sight will be affected even when they try not to look at it. We’ve all experienced this in waiting rooms and airport lounges: screens demand to be looked at! Children who grow up in screen-saturated environments develop deficits in attention and socialization, even autistic–like behaviors such as reduced eye contact and verbal engagement—grunting instead of answering question or responding when their name is called. Just like being near smokers can damage our lungs, we are now discovering that screen–heavy environments have far–reaching consequences on mental and cognitive health.”
What about people who maintain social media accounts. What’s Cytowic’s advice on managing those accounts?
“If you’re going to sustain your social media accounts, it’s crucial to set boundaries,” he says. “Schedule specific times for checking them rather than constantly scrolling and distracting yourself throughout the day. Disable push notifications and refrain from checking your accounts, especially in the hours leading up to bedtime. They will stimulate you and get your thoughts and emotions roiling when what you want is to be winding down.” Also be mindful, he advises, of how social media stimulates your emotions. Unfollow accounts that trigger anger and irritation. Focus instead on using social media to foster meaningful connections rather than merely superficial engagements.
What can parents do to help their children balance screen time with real-world activities?
Cytowic recommends that parents can model healthy screen habits themselves because children imitate their parents strongly. Parents can also create screen–free zones or times at home, especially at dinner time. They can encourage outdoor play, face-to-face interactions, and imaginative activities that don’t involve screens at all. “Teach children that while screens are part of life, they shouldn’t dominate it,” he says. “Balance is key.”