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Imagine this. It’s 7 pm and you have a five-page paper due the next morning at school. You chow down on some brain food (see: 5 brain-boosting foods to add to your diet), and open your notebook to write. You’re 30 minutes in with two pages down, and just as you start the third page you hear the buzz of your cellphone. Intrigued, you grab your phone and see a TikTok notification for a “must-see” video. You had planned to take a walk as a “brain break” in twenty minutes, but you decide a few minutes on social media should be equally as effective. Fast forward two hours and you’re 74 TikToks in, but still three pages short. Now it’s almost ten o'clock, and you’re feeling stressed, unfocused, and frustrated. At this point, you realize it’d be best to finish the paper in the morning, so you put on your pajamas and hop in bed. One problem: the two hours of screen time delayed your body’s production of melatonin, the body’s “sleep” hormone, and although you feel mentally fatigued, your body is wide awake. Each time you start to doze off, your cell phone buzzes, you reach to check the alert, and the cycle continues. You wake up the next morning feeling more tired than when you went to sleep and, unsurprisingly, find no energy to finish your paper.
For some of us, this scenario may sound dreadfully familiar. Even though excessive screen time has been linked to depression and anxiety, realistically, cutting screens from our lives in this digital age isn’t a practical or desirable option. So how can we find a way to keep our phones from impacting our mental well-being?
1. Set Time Limits
We’ve all had nights where a “quick look” on a social media app turns into hours of mindless scrolling. Habits like these can lead to increased stress and anxiety, poor productivity, sleep disturbances, and mental fatigue. Setting hourly or daily limits for how much time you spend on a particular app is a useful tool for avoiding the seemingly unavoidable trap of “Doom scrolling.” It also allows us more time to enjoy activities that promote our mental health, like exercising, spending time with loved ones, or practicing self-care.
2. Limit or Completely Turn off Notifications on Your Phone
Notifications are extremely good at their job, which is to be intriguing, and therefore, distracting. Even if you decide to ignore them, the flashes and sounds can still decrease overall productivity and focus. When it matters, consider turning off your phone notifications, especially social media alerts. Don’t worry, the app will still be there when you get back.
3. Find Creative Alternatives to Screen Time
Younger generations may feud over which generation is the most addicted to technology, but it’s impossible to deny that all of us could benefit from non-digital hobbies. Alternatives to screen time can be as simple as reading a book or going on a walk, or as stimulating as crocheting a new top or creating an at-home garden. Spending time doing an activity you enjoy can build confidence, stimulate your mind, and minimize the impact of chronic stress. If you need a “brain break,” consider these options over spending time on your phone, which can inhibit productivity and hurt your ability to concentrate.
4. No Screens at Bedtime
Putting your phone down a few hours before bed is much easier said than done, but research shows it can have impactful benefits on the quality of your sleep. The blue light a phone produces interferes with our circadian rhythms and mimics daylight, making our brains feel alert when they should be winding down. As a result, it may take longer for you to fall asleep and make it harder for you to achieve adequate amounts of “deep sleep” each night.
With these tips in mind, we can work towards less exhausted brains and unfinished papers, and more healthy habits and thriving minds.
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