Technology and Stress

If you are reading this right now, you are using technology. Technology helps us stay informed, do our jobs, communicate with friends and family across the street and across the world (and sometimes across the room). You have the ability to simultaneously order a pizza, listen to your favorite tunes, update your status, text your friends, and type a report for work, all while talking to your Mom on the phone. The benefits of technology are tremendous and devastating at the same time. You check work email on vacation on your smartphone. You plan a birthday party using your Bluetooth headset while driving. You check your favorite social networking site last thing before laying your head on the pillow. Your brain is on overdrive. There is no downtime. Children and teenagers are no exception. They are plugged in as much or more than adults and this constant feeling of "I need to do this" may lead to a constant state of stress or even anxiety that lasts long after the stressors are removed. Your brain needs downtime to recuperate and perform at its best just like our muscles do after exercise. Give your brain a mini vacation an hour or more a day. Turn off the laptop, mp3 player, and even the smartphone (ugh). Read a book; the kind with real pages. Why? If you are reading a book on your iPad you are much more likely to say "I just need to check my email for a second." It is much harder to resist the distractions when they are right there in your hands. Take a walk outside. Have a face-to-face conversation without electronic distractions. For example, you might implement a zero electronic device dinnertime rule. The text messages can wait. Also, removing these technological stressors an hour prior to bedtime may significantly improve sleep. Insomnia is a major contributor to rising stress levels. Giving your brain time to relax before lying down may help you fall asleep easier. Technology is a marvelous asset to society when used in moderation.  However, in excess it can be a burden that increases stress levels. Take a break. Your brain and your stress level will thank you.