Technology Negative Effects

In bedrooms today we have many gadgets, we have televisions, game counsels, tablets, and our phones. All of these thing affect how we sleep. Ninety-five percent of people use technology an hour before they go to bed (How technology affects sleep). Whether this is sending texts, emailing, playing games, or browsing through social media. In today 's society we find this as normal everyday routines. Studies show that we should abstain from using technology two hours before we are wanting to go to sleep (How Technology Affects Sleep). How does technology effect how we sleep? Our technology that we use daily gives off many colors of light. The color that is believed to disrupt our sleeping patterns is in particular the blue light. Blue light prevents the

Excessively using technology affects the brain, which deprives people from having the energy to complete everyday tasks. For instance, constantly using devices such as smartphones affects sleep patterns, thus provoking fatigue to overpower the body. In the BBC article “Are We Addicted to Technology?” emphasizing screen time addiction, Dr. Nerina Ramlakhan explains, “‘They [patients] go to bed but can't sleep, or fall asleep exhausted and wake up tired’” (Kleinman). Ramlakhan’s observations comprise of her patients having difficulties sleeping at night due to their constant time spent in front of screens (Kleinman). In addition, Adam Alter, an associate

Have you ever gotten lost in the Internet, swallowed by the constant updates on Twitter and Facebook for hours, when you only meant to be on for a few minutes? This is a constant battle in our society and technology changes and our use of it increases. It is becoming a bigger issue every day, and now it affects one of our basics psychological needs: sleep. Though I concede with Brooke Gladstone, author of “The Influencing Machines” that we can adapt to technology as it grows, I still insist that some issues that arise with technology are bigger than Gladstone portrays and we need to find solutions for some of the bigger problems that technology creates, especially when it disturbs a basic psychological need.

The effects of technology usage have long been a topic of debate, with the negative consequences often being brought up. Authors such as Robert Samuels, Alison Gopnik, Nicholas Carr, Gary Small and Vorgan Gigi have all addressed this topic in their own articles. In Samuels’ “Breaking Down Borders: How Technology Transforms the Private and Public Realms,” he discusses the creation of private bubbles in public spaces due to technology, and the consequent alienation of others. “Diagnosing the Digital Revolution” by Gopnik argues that the habits that tech users have today have always existed, while Carr’s “Is Google Making Us Stupid?” states that technology is actively changing the way humans think. “Meet Your iBrain” by Gigi and Small covers how technology affects brains and alters them. This paper will use the articles and an interview with a peer to analyze the perceived negative effects of using technology, particularly worse memory, shorter attention span, exacerbation of bad habits, and shifting emotions.

Generation Z is addicted to social media because it is the first thing they worry when they wake up. They pick up their phones to see what people posted in the morning, the afternoon, and the evening. Dr. Helen Driver, a somnologist (with means the study of sleep), explains, “The explosion of social media and people staying on devices for longer – and taking them to bed with them – is a huge problem”. Social media has effected Generation Z’s by sleep because the light is from the electronics which interferes with sleep. Not only does social media affect the quality of sleep but, the quantity of sleep too. The next morning, they only got a few hours of sleep and they do not feel well both physically and mentally. If someone has issues with turning off their electronic devices in the evening, then they should dim the lights or and turn the power off.

Many do not believe that we have a technology problem in today’s society. But, ninety-five percent of people use technology an hour before they go to sleep (How Technology Affects Sleep). This is an alarming amount of people who use technology before they go to sleep. You do not have to be looking directly at the technology to trigger the pineal gland to stop releasing melatonin (Kim). Many also believe that lack of sleep due to technology does not affect how they do their daily jobs. Seventy-five percent of those over 30 that reported not getting enough sleep said that when they were tired that their sleepiness effected their daily work (Tarkan). For a school age kid ten hours of sleep is needed. Teenagers also need about nine to ten

Sleep is something that is required by all human beings for survival. This crucial component of our daily lives is what keeps our minds and bodies from shutting down. Without a sufficient amount of sleep, an array of health related issues can arise. Not only is an overall feeling of tiredness, irritability and lack of concentration a concern, other factors can affect mortality including cardiovascular problems, an increase in anxiety and depression, as well as a risk for weight gain leading to obesity. There are many factors that can affect why people do not get a good night’s sleep. One of the major influences is that of the increased use of technology based devices. With the increasing desire to be connected to social media

In his article, “Kids With Bedroom Smartphones Sleep Less: Study,” Alan Mozes suggests that a smartphone within children's bedrooms could undermine good sleeping habits more than television has. Mozes supports his claim through exemplification. He uses the results of various researches conducted by well-known magazines or universities. The author's purpose was to inform parents of children with no restrictions using their phones in order to help create a better future for the children who have become dependent on smartphones in their daily lives.

In the past few years, cell phones and tablets have begun to take over people’s lives. Cell phones hold our entire lives on them, from what time we wake up in the morning to directions to get everywhere. People spend the majority of their lives on their cell phones, texting, tweeting, or even just playing games. Not only do these devices effect our social lives, but they also affect how we sleep at night and how much sleep we get. Sleep is very important in maintaining homeostasis and proper health, in order to function properly, “healthy adults need between 7-9 hours of sleep each night” (helpguide). If a person does not get the amount of sleep- they need, then they will become groggy and less efficient at work or school.

There are a lot of things that probably keep us from sleeping at night. The most common three are the cell phone, television and computer. David Cloud, CEO of the National Sleep Foundation reports, "While these technologies are commonplace, it is clear that we have a lot more to learn about the appropriate use and design of this technology to complement good sleep habits."

In the article "Kids With Bedroom Smartphones Sleep Less: Study" written by Alan Mozes explains the effects of sleeping near technology and how it affects our body. The article explains how technology affects our sleep time since everybody uses it before going to bed.

One big problem with modern day technology, is that it is affecting our sleep. Most of us technophile teens are used to falling to sleep with TV’s light flickering a show to soothe us into sleep. Others might end the day by scrolling their social media’s news feed until their eyes begin to feel heavy. For example, a recent poll by the National Sleep Foundation found that 95% of people use some type of computer, video game, or cell phone at least a few nights a week within the hour before bed (www.sleepfoundation.org). Unfortunately, those night time rituals are most likely messing with their sleep patterns. Neuroscientists presume the glowing lights emitted by TV, smartphone and laptop screens mess with your body's sleep-inducing hormones

Over the course of 3 weeks, I discovered that technology leads to the consequences of multitasking and the bad sleep habits contributing to sleep deprivation. The amount of sleep hours I get every night is important in order for my body to function at its best. To find out if I was getting adequate sleep , I created a sleep log and a golden chart which allowed me to observe my sleep patterns. It turns out I got an average sleep time of 9-10 hours, which is good, considering the recommended amount of sleep time is 9.25 hours. From what I learned from the unit and personal perspective, technology creates consequences due to multi-tasking and lowers the amount of sleep I get everyday.

Our phones and tablets emit blue light, which blocks the production of the sleep-inducing hormone, melatonin, and it signals our bodies to stay awake; even a dim glow can alter our circadian rhythm. Additionally, findings in a recent article in PLOS [http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0165331] indicate people who spend a significant amount of time using their smartphones at bedtime experience both a lesser quality of sleep and a reduced duration. In reality, our attempts to wind down using social media may leave us stimulated–the exact opposite of the peaceful slumber most of us are trying to

Even though technology has a negative connotation when sleep is involved, technology actually can help, instead of hinder, your ability to sleep. There are plenty of apps created for the purpose of helping the downloader sleep better. With all the negatives, the positives of technology are often overlooked, such as these apps. Technology would continue to assist today’s society, even though there are some downsides.