Smartphones: Should You Be Worried About Your Screen Time?

The average smartphone user unlocks their phone about 150 times a day. Staying in touch, taking photos, getting directions, watching videos, reading the news — there are many reasons we rely on our smartphones so much. But they can also become a distraction. In today’s episode, we explore the double-edged sword that is the smartphone, a tool that can improve our lives but also cause a reliance bordering on addiction — and how this impacts our mood, sleep, interpersonal interactions, ability to learn and more.Hosts: Zach Moore, John Dabkowski (interviewer)Expert: Dr. Kenneth Podell, NeuropsychologistNotable topics covered:Nomophobia, the fear of being without your smartphone The way excessive screen time leads to smartphone addiction How reading on your phone is different from reading from a book Whether the blue light emitted from our smartphones affects our sleep When smartphones affect how we interact with other people It’s not all doom and gloom — the benefits of smartphones Dr. Podell’s tips for forming a healthier relationship with your smartphone  If you enjoy these kinds of conversations, be sure to subscribe. And for more topics like this, visit our blog at houstonmethodist.org/blog.