Smartphone, The New Drug

HOW many of you have checked out Instagram's 'Time Spent' feature, which tracks how many hours you've spent scrolling in a week? Most of you probably know about it, but how many actually use it? Sure, we have time to scroll endlessly, but do we ever pause to reflect on the time lost? Well, this isn't about that guilt-tripping Instagram feature or social media in general—this is about your screen time.

- VENNAPUSALA RAMYA

A new study published in Computers in Human Behaviour reveals that limiting smartphone use to only essential tasks for three days can trigger changes in brain activity and boost cognitive function. CE takes a closer look at the study with insights from city-based experts.

Smartphones are undeniably an essential part of our daily lives, but excessive use can significantly impact the brain, says Dr K Vamshi Krishna, senior consultant brain and spine surgeon, CARE Hospitals, Hyderabad. Explaining the study, titled Effects of Smartphone Restriction on Cue-Related Neural Activity, he says, "A recent study by German scientists from Heidelberg University and the University of Cologne examined how restricting smartphone use for 72 hours affects brain activity, particularly in areas linked to craving and reward processing. The results suggest that limiting smartphone use can lead to changes in brain regions similar to those seen in people withdrawing from addictive substances."