a society of screens

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There’s no doubt about it- we have turned into a technology fueled world. Wherever you go, you find at least a couple people on their phones, computers, digital watches, etc. We have become a world where you cannot live without your phone anymore. And although all these advances have helped us in many ways, they’re harming us too. Not only do many hours on screens cause an effect on eyes and sleep, it also effects our addiction and reward seeking and weight for adults. However for kids and teens it’s even worse. The usage of screens in our everyday lives impacts learning, self-confidence, social skills, emotion and personality, language skills, vision, weight and overall health. So why if it’s so bad for us do we keep coming back? It’s like technology and screens are drugs and we are addicted. And it’s not like there’s any cure coming soon. It seems that with every new gadget that comes out with a new feature, everyone wants it or that anywhere you go you can’t have an actual conversation with others because they are on their phones.
So what can we do about it? We can give ourselves a break from technology and unplug for a while. As Laci Mosier suggests, for the night we should, “reduce the impact of screens by shutting them off an hour and a half before your head even hits the pillow. Instead of watching Netflix or scrolling through Instagram before bed, try a new ritual, something like reading an actual book, doing a series of moon salutations, or a nighttime savasana to help soothe the mind and prepare the body for bed.” She also mentions that in the morning we should , “Instead of waking up phone-in-hand, try going old school with your alarm clock and even leaving your phone in another room altogether. And instead of starting the day with email, start it with a few deep breaths, stretches, and maybe even a morning meditation.”
Hopefully, by stepping back from our screens rather than being crouched in front of glowing screens late at night and early in the morning, we will start to observe what’s going on in our everyday lives rather than living within small screen.  

Comments

  1. Priya MJanuary 4, 2018 at 10:42 PM

    I agree that we should not be using our phones so much, or see screens an hour and a half before we go to bed, but how reasonable is this? Students now need to use their computers more than ever for homework. The need to use computers for homework and the inevitable procrastination that most teenagers face, equates to using a computer much longer than an hour and a half before we go to bed. I agree that we should not use our phones immediately after we wake up, but my phone helps me wake up. I have to wake up at 5AM to take the bus from my mother's house, and it is extremely difficult to wake up at that time. I find that my phone helps me from oversleeping. Yes, my case may be a unique one, but I'm sure there are others out there that are like me, at least in the aspect of using the computer longer for homework (especially being in HISP). Maybe in the future they'll create an app to stop procrastination? Great article

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