Now don’t get me wrong - I love Instagram and Snap Chat just as much as the next person. However, the more we “get connected” so to speak, the more we begin to test that fine line between having a healthy friendship with technology and down right addiction. Does our technology really allow us to stay connected? Or perhaps is it disconnecting us from the power of human relationships both within and around us…?

Research continues to show how internet addiction can cause deeper dysfunction within the brain, leading to mental health issues. Unfortunately, technology isn’t going away anytime soon.

Additionally - Proper sleep (AND energy during the day) is dependent on proper functioning brain chemistry. Staring at a phone or computer screen moments until bed impairs the function of our pineal gland (the gland responsible for proper Melatonin production, the sleep/wake hormone). In order to produce healthy brain chemistry for proper sleep-wake cycles, your brain needs to know “it’s time for bed” (AKA it’s night time). Staring at a screen does just the opposite. Unfortunately, technology isn’t going away anytime soon.

Here are some ways you can train your brain to know it’s time to sleep AND to help break the techno-addiction habit:

• Limit your screen time, especially at night.
• Instead of scrolling through Social Media, read a book 30min before bed using a book light (different light settings preferred)
• Turn your phone to Grayscale every so often. Your brain LOVES color so turning on grayscale (perhaps at night) will make your phone look less appealing. For you iPhone 7 users, go to Settings > General > Display Accommodations > Color Filters > Turn on Color Filters and choose Grayscale below
• If you catch yourself on auto-pilot on your device (aka the “Death Scroll”), start practicing the 5 second rule (learn more). Count down from “5…4…3…2…1…” and within those 5 seconds, move from thought into ACTION. Put away your phone and do something else - go for a walk, exercise, cook something, go to sleep, etc.

Do you have some helpful hints and strategies to break the techno-addict habits? Comment and share with us below!

As always, keep inspiring!

Dr. Mel

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