Too Much Tech

via sharecare.com

1. Certain technology, like email, stimulates your brain in a way that makes you feel good and not want to be cut off from it.
2. Cell phones emails and tablets often serve to isolate and alienate us even more while giving only an illusion of intimacy, as we are not physically in the presence of another person. True intimacy is slowing down and moving inward toward your authentic self.
3. One of the consequences of information overload and increased technology at our fingertips is that more is happening at every given moment, making us feel that time moves faster. This leaves us feeling that there's never enough time to do things.
4. Statistics from a CTIA Wireless study show that teens ages 12 to 19 have the highest levels of text messaging activity. Teens average more than 3,000 texts a month, some exceeding 10,000 texts a month.
5. A study released by the American Public Health Association in 2010 suggests that there is an apparent link between "hyper-texting" (over 120 text messages a day) and risky behaviors like binge drinking, using drugs, fighting and promiscuity. If your child sends over 3,600 text messages a month, monitor cell phone and social media to eliminate any potential exposure to risky behaviors.
6. Meal multitasking means doing other things while you're eating, such as watching TV and working at the computer. These habits take the focus off the food and make you more likely to overeat without realizing it.
7. The most common use of RF energy is for telecommunications, including AM/FM radios, televisions and cordless telephones, all at fairly low RFs. Other sources of RF energy include magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) devices and microwave ovens, which operate at somewhat higher RFs.
8. Cell phones may make users less socially minded, according to one study.
9. Looking at computer monitors will not harm your eyes. However, working at a computer for long periods of time can lead to dry eyes and the feeling of eye strain.
10. To prevent dry eyes, follow the 20/20/20 rule: Every 20 minutes, take a break for 20 seconds and stare at something 20 feet away.
11. Children can focus at close distance without eyestrain better than adults. There is no evidence that this damages their eyes.
12. Cell phone users are typically less focused on others and less persistent in problem solving, according to one study.
13. Some video games, such as those for the Wii and Nintendo DS, offer brain teasers that make you learn the computer's interface as you master the brain games. This boosts the formation of new neural connections, response time and memory.
14. There is no solid link between video games and the tendency to engage in violence in the real world. One recent study of children found that video games, even those with violence, can be used to reinforce certain social skills, release stress and relax.
15. Studies show that video games that encourage physical activity can help the elderly feel less depressed and feel a sense of place and relevancy.
16. Certain studies have drawn a link between children who watch excessive amounts of TV in their early years and the risk of developing future attention problems. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children under 2 years old should not have any screen time, and that kids 2 years and older should be limited to one to two hours per day or less of quality television programming.
17. A 2008 survey of people who considered themselves unhappy found that they watched about 25 hours of weekly TV, whereas the "happy" people studied watched 19 hours. The theory is that happier people had other things to do with their leisure time, such as volunteering or pursuing hobbies.
18. You can help your teen to reduce stress by suggesting that they load their iPod with music that helps them tune out and relax.
19. You generally use two ways to navigate -- autopilot if you know the route or you see the map in your brain. When you use a GPS, you stop using your brain to map out where you are going.
20. According to the National Cancer Institute, cellular telephone users' level of exposure to radio frequency energy depends on:
    The number and duration of calls
    The amount of cell traffic at a given time
    The distance from the nearest cell-base station.