How Is Your Phone Changing You?

Summary

Smartphones, owned by 6 billion people, are reshaping our bodies and brains. With an average screen time of 4.7 hours daily, they contribute to physical issues like poor posture and increased myopia. Behaviorally, they create 'compulsion loops' similar to nicotine or cocaine, fostering 'nomophobia' and altering brainwave patterns. Smartphones also disrupt sleep, impacting health, but they've also democratized information access. Some are now taking 'smartphone vacations' to boost productivity.

Takeaways

• 📱 The majority of the world's population owns a cellphone, but a significant portion still lacks access to basic sanitation like working toilets.
• 📉 Prolonged cellphone use, averaging 4.7 hours a day, can lead to physical strain, equated to an 8-year-old child sitting on your neck.
• 👓 Increased screen time, both on phones and computers, correlates with a rise in myopia, especially in North America and parts of Asia.
• 🎮 Games like Candy Crush create 'compulsion loops' through dopamine rewards, similar to those experienced with nicotine or cocaine.
• 🧠 Our brains are wired to seek novelty, which is why apps are designed to provide constant new content, making them addictive.
• 📲 93% of young adults use smartphones to avoid boredom, often prioritizing them over other activities like reading or socializing.
• 📵 'Nomophobia' is a term describing the fear or anxiety associated with being without a phone, highlighting our dependency on these devices.
• 🧠 Cell phone transmissions can alter brainwave patterns, specifically increasing the power of alpha waves associated with wakeful relaxation.
• 🌙 Smartphone screens emit blue light that can disrupt sleep patterns, affecting deep sleep and potentially linking to health issues like diabetes, cancer, and obesity.
• 🏥 Smartphones have become essential tools for many, especially for accessing the internet, banking, medical information, and job searching, particularly among disadvantaged populations.

Q & A

How many people on Earth own a cellphone compared to those with access to a working toilet?

Approximately 6 billion people own a cellphone, while only 4.5 billion have access to a working toilet.

What is the effect of looking down at your phone on your spine?

Looking down at your phone can cause your spine to angle equivalent to that of an 8-year-old child sitting on your neck.

How much time do people spend on average looking at their phones each day?

People spend an average of 4.7 hours a day looking at their phones.

What is the link between smartphone use and the prevalence of myopia?

Increased smartphone use and time spent in front of computers have led to a rise in the prevalence of myopia, with nearly half of the population in North America and up to 90% in some parts of Asia being nearsighted.

How do games like Candy Crush create a 'compulsion loop' in the brain?

Games like Candy Crush provide small goals and new content, which trigger bursts of dopamine in the brain, creating a 'compulsion loop' similar to that associated with nicotine or cocaine.

What percentage of young people use smartphones to avoid boredom?

93% of young people aged 18-29 use their smartphones as a tool to avoid boredom.

What is 'nomophobia' and how does it relate to smartphone use?

'Nomophobia' is the fear or anxiety of being without your phone, a term that has emerged due to the significant reliance on smartphones for various activities.

How do cellphone transmissions affect brain patterns?

Cellphone transmissions, such as during a phone call, can significantly boost the power of alpha waves, which are associated with 'wakeful relaxation', indicating that phone transmissions can change the way the brain functions.

How does the blue light emitted by smartphones impact sleep?

The blue light emitted by smartphones can alter circadian rhythms, reduce deep sleep, and is linked to the development of health issues like diabetes, cancer, and obesity.

What advice does Harvard Medical School give regarding smartphone use before bed?

Harvard Medical School advises having the last 2-3 hours before bed be 'technology' free to improve sleep quality.

How do smartphones impact access to information for certain populations?

Smartphones have become a primary means of internet access for 7% of Americans, particularly aiding poor and minority populations in areas like online banking, medical information, and job searching.

What are 'smartphone vacations' and why are they beneficial?

'Smartphone vacations' are periods of time where individuals abstain from smartphone use to increase productivity and overall well-being, as discussed in the AsapTHOUGHT video.