Our High-Tech Phones Are Stressing Us Out!

8/23/10 Posted in News  |  0 Comments

We’re willing to bet that in the past half hour you checked your phone more times than you’d like to admit. With Blackberries and smartphones secured to us like life vests, we’ve all become increasingly dependent on the instant gratification of being connected anytime anywhere. But have you ever noticed how your body is responding to the constant beeping and buzzing? Chances are, you haven’t.

In a recent study at the Institute for Holistic Health Studies at San Francisco State University, 12 text-savvy college students had little awareness of the stress their bodies were under as they punched away at their phones. The study measured the arousal levels of the students while they were sending and receiving text messages, and the results were pretty shocking—to them and to us.

Every subject had significantly increased respiration rate, heart rate, skin conductance, and surface electromyography—all indicators of increased stress and arousal. 83 percent of participants later reported hand and neck pain and were recorded as having held their breath while receiving messages, though most of them were not aware of these effects while texting.

So, whether or not we are conscious of the changes, our phones are causing our bodies to become more and more aroused—a physiological state that can have the same effects as long-term stress.

Mindful breathing practices can help you to relax even while engaging in some serious texting. Nancy Elkes, a New York City yoga instructor, suggests breathing deeply while repeating the phrases, “I am breathing in” while inhaling and “I am breathing out” while exhaling to stay relaxed amid everyday stressors.

And to cut back on cell-related stress even more, try to limit your phone usage to only what is necessary for your work and social life. Just because your awesome Blackberry allows you to check your email, Facebook, and Twitter 24/7, it doesn’t mean you should!