The Dichotomy Of Phone & Relaxation

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Is a phone an object of relaxation or a stressful item that keeps you occupied? Answers differ greatly about the uses of mobile phones. It’s understandable. Everyone is different, and therefore, there is more than one way to manage your interactions with your phone. This naturally feeds to the ever-growing dichotomy about smartphones. One part of the population villainies phones for the adverse impact they have on human beings. Others praise phones for helping them cope with difficult situations and finding inner peace. Which statement is correct? The answer is both. Your attitude entirely depends on your personality and relationship with technology. 

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They hinder relaxation

Phones are a pain. You find them practical at times, but they cause a high amount of stress more often than not. Why is it so?

Phone management is stressful

Steve Jobs said it best when he described the first iPhone as a mini-computer that fits in your pocket. The label phone is misleading. Your smartphone is a fully functional computer. And unless you’re an IT geek, computers can be tricky to manage. Between upgrades gone wrong and running out of storage space, owning a phone can be a source of stress and anxiety. There are some helpful tutorials and applications around to guide you through some of the processes, such as this handy guide on the best cleaner apps for iPhone so you can reclaim your memory space without losing vital data. These tips can provide some sense of support and peace when using your smartphone. However, they don’t prevent some of the most common stress triggers with mobile phones:

• Running out of battery or receiving a low battery warning when you don’t have any charging option available
• Losing data or application through upgrade mishaps
• Discovering that some features have inexplicably stopped working

It means you are cut from the real world

Here’s an interesting fact for you. According to a study, Americans touch their phones over 2,600 times in a day. Pings, notifications, and messages keep flashing on the screen. According to N. Carr, tech and culture author, we know enough to be worried about our smartphones’ influence over our lives. We are bound to check all those notifications, driven by the fear of missing out. The simple presence of a smartphone automatically encourages people to reduce day-to-day conversations and physical interactions. Why? Because we rely too much on phones. When something occurs outside the mobile realm, does it happen if there is no notification, data, or app to testify? More worryingly, people seem to be losing the ability to read emotional cues when they don’t have a screen covered in emojis for guidance. Yet, we can’t take the phone away from our routine because we’re too dependent on it. 

Blue light effect

The phone screen is often the last thing you see before going to bed. Whether you set up your alarm or check your emails a last time, the blue light can affect your sleeping patterns. Our circadian rhythms interpret blue light as a sign that the body and mind should be active. Blue lights mean daytime, as some of the sun UVs are natural blue light. Even though screens produce artificial blue light, it is sufficient to trick the brain into believing it’s daytime. As a result, you might struggle to fall asleep, or your sleeping patterns could be disrupted — so you wake up frequently during the night. Our screens harm sleep quality, making us more vulnerable to stressful triggers. 

They encourage relaxation

However, some people rely on their movies to soothe their worried minds. And guess what? It can be equally successful! 

Create a relaxing playlist and listen 

We all understand the role of music in our well-being. Music can generate positive emotions, helping people fight off stress or depression. Creating a soothing playlist that you can access with a click on your mobile can have a tremendous effect on your mental health. Music is proven to decrease cortisol levels — the stress hormone — and increase serotonin, dopamine, and endorphin levels — happy hormones. 

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Meditation and counseling support

Sometimes, you need to stop your mind from racing through anxiety-inducing ideas. Your phone can give you access to some of the best relaxing apps and contacts available. An app such as Talkspace allows individuals to reach out to a helpful and supportive therapy network. The app can also be part of your health insurance cover, providing access to live video therapy or text messaging as and when needed. 

If you prefer a self-help approach, countless meditation apps can also help you relax your mind and regain control. Headspace has grown in popularity during the pandemic for its accessible format, introducing the benefits of meditation to beginners and seasoned users. 

Is your phone stressful or a tool of relaxation? There is no black or white answer. Like most things in life, it’s often up to you to define what kind of interaction you want with your phone. 

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