Let’s recall a random morning in our lives: the phone alarm blares, you wake up reaching over your bed trying to shut down the alarm, you immediately check all your notifications – a zillion emails, WhatsApp messages, Twitter, Facebook, and the endless list goes on… Time passes by and you find that you have spent a minimum of 30 minutes simply checking on what “you’ve missed out on” during sleep. The same cycle is repeated day after day after day.
The next thing you’re doing is planning your day according to the notifications you’ve received. This is something you unconsciously do every. single. day. You know that it isn’t advised to check your phone first thing in the morning but wonder why. I mean, you’re doing this and feel fine, right? Wrong. The power here comes from your inability to tell the difference. We’re all addicted to checking our phones first thing in the morning – like our bodies are somehow programmed. We aren’t even aware of the difference it would make if we don’t.
According to a research study from International Data Corporation (IDC), about 80% of smartphone users check their mobile phones within 15 minutes of waking up in the morning. After reading and understanding the effects this habit has on your mind and body, you’ll rethink this habit. Here are some of the effects of checking your phone first thing in the morning:
1. Alert mode ON
Your phone, laptop, and tablets screens are made of LED screens. These types of screens radiate blue light (which of course isn’t blue to the human eye). Research has proved that the emitted blue light that comes from our screens has harmful effects on the human body such as intense melanin decrease, damage to your vision, and increased alertness in unnecessary times.
The effects of blue light have been linked to disruption of sleep; the prolonged exposure we get to our phones leads to poor quality of sleep. The quality of sleep isn’t just dependent on the number of hours you sleep per night. It reflects how many times you wake up in the middle of the night, whether you sleep right away or not, whether you wake up energized or not, etc…
2. Setting yourself for a stressful day ahead
Stress is an inevitable factor in everyone’s life, so why not give ourselves an hour of peacefulness in the morning? By checking your phone first thing in the morning, you’re basically setting yourself for a stressful day ahead. That’s because you will be checking all your notifications, scrolling through social media platforms, and maybe seeing that your crush hasn’t yet replied to the text you’ve sent the night before (hurts I know)… All of these things contribute to your stress levels in ways you couldn’t imagine – leaving you feeling overwhelmed before even starting the day.
When your mind and body get hit with a huge amount of information all of a sudden, you become unable to prioritize tasks. The feeling of overwhelming takes over you. Your brain becomes bombarded with information overload while you haven’t even left your bed. Not only does that increase your stress levels, but it triggers feelings of fear of missing out (FOMO). That is when you’re constantly worrying that there’s something you don’t know of or are not a part of.
3. You transition from a delta brainwave to a theta brainwave
I couldn’t bear to finish off this article without some science! When the human body wakes up, there happens a certain transition of waves in the brain. Basically, there are three types of waves; delta, theta, and beta. Delta waves are responsible for putting you into a deep sleep… Theta waves give you that feeling of gentle doziness in the morning. Ok, but why the heck should I be concerned?
Let me explain. Theta waves encourage your mind to process memories and enhance creativity. When you wake up, your state of mind is pretty supple. During this time, your mind is highly nurtured and has the ability to come with great ideas. What checking your phone in the morning does is that it deprives your mind of this euphoric state of mind. You’re directly putting your mind into alert mode – beta waves.
Now that you have a considerable grasp of the negative effects checking your phone first thing in the morning has on your mind and body, let’s hop into how to break that habit.
1. Put your phone in another room
Don’t sleep with your phone in the same room. On the off chance that you need to sleep with your phone in the same room, consider turning off your phone’s internet connection, or even better, putting it on airplane mode.
2. Use regular alarm clocks
Instead of using your phone’s alarm clock, consider getting a classic alarm clock – they’re cheap, reliable, and come in many designs. By doing so, you are decreasing the chances of you checking your phone first thing in the morning.
3. Plan a morning morning that doesn’t include your phone
Having a morning routine planned out and actually sticking to it is very beneficial. Plan a morning routine that includes things that keep you calm and suits your day like stretching, journaling, taking a cold shower, drinking some water, preparing a nutritious breakfast, etc… There are so many things you can work your way around. Stick to that routine to add some structure to your life and free your brain from the mental effort needed to figure out what you need to do.
Conclusion
It’s undeniable that our smartphones have made our lives a lot easier and offer tremendous benefits; they help businesses, help us stay connected, provide inspiration, save tons of time, and a lot more. However, anything used in excess is harmful, especially when it comes to digital devices.
They hold so much power over us, and by using them correctly, you can reap all their benefits. On the other hand, if used wrongly (and excessively), can negatively impact your life. The key here is moderation and control. This applies to everything in life. Using your smartphone wisely without allowing it to take control over your life is a game-changer.