How to overcome connection addiction that is rewiring our bodies.
We tweet. We text. We post and we email.
Today’s teen receives a whopping 4,000 texts a month! Even before getting out of bed in the morning, a third of all smartphone users first go online. And you can’t go anywhere these days—like restaurants, movie theaters, parks or planes—where people are not on their digital devices. Even children have iPhones and iPads to keep them entertained.
Not only are experts concerned about the increasing prevalence of “digital dementia” affecting American’s youth with alarming symptoms like depression, panic insomnia, and even psychosis, but the impacts of being plugged in 24/7 is also taking its toll on our physical structures and biology.
Posture Rx
We have all heard how sitting is the “new smoking.”
With hunched over backs, forward necks, and carpal tunnel on the rise, it’s time to invest in a standing desk like VariDesk. Spend half your time standing and then sitting. Locate an ergonomic chair (with a headrest and arms rest) so your back and head are “engaged” with the chair.
If you spend as much time as I do at the computer, then do invest in a negative incline or reverse tilt keyboard. Get a wrist rest for your “mouse hand.” Ideally, the keyboard should be right above your lap so your wrists are straight.
Control that Cortisol Curve
Phone screens and computer monitors both utilize lights for image display.
But blue light inhibits melatonin production which lowers cortisol for deep, uninterrupted sleep. Find a program that can reduce the monitor’s blue light to match natural circadian rhythms. I use f.lux.
iPhone users with iOS 9.3 can activate the Night Shift mode which doesn’t impact melatonin because the screen can change to more red wavelengths.
You might also consider Adrenal Formula which I use at special adrenal times to balance cortisol. I take it at 7, 11 and 3 PM.
Get Some Vitamin G
Last but not least, Ground thyself!
With grounding technology, the body receives a stabilizing electrical influence for all its bioelectrical circuits. The body absorbs an infusion of negative charged electrons which neutralize the positively charged free radicals that cause inflammatory damage at the cellular level and normalize the body’s voltage. Grounding also helps reduce pain and stress, and promotes sleep and relaxation due to its cortisol calming effects.
There are a wide variety of products—wrist bands, grounding mats, and grounding sheets—which help bring the Earth’s natural energy inside for use in our homes and offices. I have been using them for years.
We can all learn to thrive and survive in the digital age with very simple lifestyle “fixes” that will support our bodies, minds—and spirits, which are in the balance.
6 Responses
In order to use F.lux, one has to jailbreak one’s phone or iPad, I believe. I don’t feel comfortable doing that. Are there any alternatives?
With the last OS update on my iPad, there is a new feature called Night Shift which works similarly to f.lux. Check to see if you can update.
F.lux is an app that doesn’t require violating your laptop’s warranty. I have it loaded on my MacBook Pro. It was free and works just fine. Both Android and Apple cellphone users can find similar free apps at their associated app stores. Check into it!
Our power lines are buried. Is connecting with the soil still as helpful?
Yes it is still beneficial to connect with the earth. Underground cables produce much less electromagnetic radiation, and the fields fall much more rapidly with distance than those from a corresponding overhead lines. It’s always good to test with a gauss meter to determine the level near where you are.