What Happens To Your Brain When You Mindlessly Scroll?
AsapSCIENCE・10 minutes read
The addiction to smartphones leads to altered brain neurology, anxiety, and decreased cognitive skills, but quitting can improve attention span, performance, and overall well-being. Studies show that reducing phone use can alleviate anxiety, depression, and physical discomfort while enhancing cognitive abilities and overall health.
Insights
- Excessive phone use can alter brain neurology, leading to increased anxiety, cortisol release, and changes in neural pathways, impacting cognitive skills and relationships.
- Quitting phone usage gradually improves cognitive skills, attention span, mental health, and physical well-being, with potential benefits observed after just 5-7 days and significant improvements after 14 days, as supported by research on smartphone effects.
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Recent questions
How many times does the average American touch their phone daily?
2,600 times
What happens after one hour of quitting phone usage?
Tries to pick it up 3-4 times
How long does it take for anxiety to kick in after not checking your phone?
12 hours
What are the effects of quitting your phone for 5-7 days?
Cognitive skills improve, attention span increases
How long does it take for reduced phone use to alleviate anxiety and depression?
14 days
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Summary
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"Phone Addiction: Effects on Brain and Body"
- The average American touches their phone 2,600 times per day, altering brain neurology due to constant scrolling.
- After one hour of quitting your phone, you may have tried to pick it up 3-4 times, as the average person picks it up 52 times daily.
- Not checking your phone releases cortisol, causing anxiety after 12 hours of quitting due to changes in neural pathways activated by phone use.
- Dopamine release in response to phone notifications, texts, or social media interactions creates strong associations with picking up the phone.
- Quitting your phone leads to increased anxiety, fomo, and phantom vibrations or ringing after 24 hours, affecting relationships and attention span.
- After 5-7 days of quitting, cognitive skills improve, attention span increases, and work or school performance may enhance.
- Reduced phone use after 14 days can decrease anxiety, depression, neck and wrist pain, and potentially heal the body, supported by studies on smartphone use effects.
