"I am a professor of public health who studies health behaviors and the gap between intentions and outcomes. I became interested in this self-care paradox recently, after I suffered from a concussion. I was prescribed two months of strictly screen-free cognitive rest-no television, email, Zooming, social media, streaming, or texting. The benefits were almost immediate, and they surprised me. I slept better, had a longer attention span, and had a newfound sense of mental quiet."
"These effects reflected a well-established principle in neuroscience: When cognitive and emotional stimuli decrease, the brain's regulatory systems can recover from overload and chronic stress. Obviously, most people can't go 100% screen-free for days, much less months, but the underlying principle offers a powerful lesson for practicing effective self-care. Americans' self-rated mental health is now at the lowest point since Gallup started tracking this issue in 2001. National surveys consistently detect high levels of stress and emotional strain."
Many Americans report feeling overwhelmed by daily life and use self-care to cope, while social media is saturated with language like "me time," burnout, boundaries, and nervous system regulation. The wellness industry has expanded into a multitrillion-dollar global market offering products and lifestyle prescriptions that promise calm, balance, and restoration. Paradoxically, interest in self-care has increased while national measures of mental health worsen, with high levels of stress and emotional strain. Two months of strict screen-free cognitive rest after a concussion produced immediate improvements in sleep, attention, and mental quiet, reflecting neuroscience that reduced cognitive and emotional stimuli let brain regulatory systems recover from overload and chronic stress. Complete screen abstinence is impractical for most, but the principle guides effective self-care.
Read at Fast Company
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