#fast4earth Have an electronics free day
I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless. (Psalm 101:3)
Five Reasons to Take a Break from Screens
Research is growing that shows that excessive media use is not good for us physically, mentally, or emotionally. The good news is that taking a media break is a powerful way to improve our well-being. What are some of the advantages?
- Slow down and smell the roses!
We do not appreciate the moments of silence or peace in between activities, because we always grab our cell phone to see what we have been missing. So we never really have a moment of complete down time. When we walk to your next appointment or class, take time to breathe in the fresh air, rather than checking your social media as you rush along.
- Improved sleep
Electronic media is not your friend when it comes to getting a good night’s sleep, especially if it’s used in the hours close to bedtime. This is partly due to the effects of the “blue light” of the screen, which confuses the brain into thinking it is not night time, , delaying sleep. In one study, for example, people reading on an e-reader at night, compared to those reading a print book, took longer to fall asleep, and felt less rested the next day. We are also temped to ‘quickly’ check our social media , and find ourselves still active hours later. Late night work emails or irritating social media posts will disturb your peace and not let you sleep..
- Better connections
Social media promises social connection, but the full richness of human relationships is best found face-to-face. Playing an active or board game with your children can be a huge highlight of their week as you are not distracted by your phone. You can have deeper conversations when you are not constantly distracted. We can nourish our relationships by having a fast from electronics!
4. Productivity and learning
Any work that requires a focused mind will benefit from a media break. The constant use of electronics means that we are always ‘task switching’ and not concentrating so deeply on the task at hand.
https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/five_reasons_to_take_a_break_from_screens