Having troubles concentrating while using Facebook?

Does Facebook interfere with your work? How many times have you picked up your cell phone to check out a Facebook email? Friends, family and people you don't really know are constantly sending pictures, videos and jokes that you are not really interested in but still you need to check them out. You're work is put on hold and you lose concentration. Then you think, gee, maybe I need another cup of coffee. It is very difficult to get anything done this way. And, it happens again another hour later. Sounds like you are addicted to social media but perhaps not. Resent studies indicate that this could be due to a loss of sleep.

Research demonstrates that night use of cell phones (smart phones) can have harmful effects to the brain. This is also true of computers and tablets. Smart phones are owned by more than 2/3 of the American population. Interestingly or not, more than 71% of these individuals actually sleep with these phones. I mean to say the phone is in bed with you, on the nightstand or in your hand as you sleep. For some, the cell phone is essentially attached to them. Gees, plug yourself in!

According to Dr. Dan Siegel, clinical professor of psychiatry at UCLA School of Medicine, the smart phone screen emits photons that signal your brain to stay awake. So when you check your emails/Facebook at night, you are preventing your brain from releasing melatonin which is a hormone that gets you ready for sleep. Since this hormone is not released, you stay awake. You will fall asleep later but this cuts down on your sleep time. This doesn't give your brain enough time to remove toxins produced during the day. This causes lack of attention and memory dysfunction. This also wreaks havoc on insulin levels which can lead to weight gain.

The culprit here is smart phone blue light. It is this blue light that inhibits the release of melatonin. Research has demonstrated that individuals who wore blue light filtering glasses had higher levels of melatonin than those who didn't. Scientists have also found this sleep disturbance increases the risk for cancer and prediabetes. Other experiments have shown that women are affected more than men. Women had a higher risk for heart disease along with increased concentration of C-reactive protein. This protein is a marker for future heart and vascular disease. It has also been demonstrated that loss of sleep can affect us emotionally. You're more likely to become irritated over something small.

How to resolve the smart phone issue? Don't bring the phone into your bedroom and turn it off. This includes computers and tablets. You should turn them off at least two hours before you go to bed. Don't use e-readers in bed, read a regular book instead. This way you can get your proper amount of sleep and be more productive at work.

#Wellness #Stress #Health #Lifestyle #Brain