No Phone Zone
Smartphones and social media have had many positive impacts on our lives, but I believe that there should be boundaries to their use.
To that end I created the No Phone Zone bag, a simple way to help families create phone free zones within our homes. The bags are available for sale to individuals and we also can also do larger orders for schools, community groups and businesses. Please get in touch and ask for more.
As a consultant physician working in the UK with an interest in Adolescent and Young Adult care, I witnessed first hand potential negative consequences of mobile phone technology almost on a day-to-day basis.
I believe that smartphone overuse has the potential to hinder relationships within our families and also have a negative effect on our own, and our children’s sleep patterns and mental and physical health.
Below are some excerpts of my published research into smartphone overuse, I do not write to judge, instead I hope to help people as they navigate this important area of life with loved ones and children.
Online Safety
We must ask ourselves what do children use their phones for in the evenings at night?
Read MoreProductivity
An Ofcom report found that in the UK we now spend more time on electronic media than we do on sleep.
Read MoreRelationships
33% of all 18-24 year olds and 38% of all 25-34 year olds noted that their excessive smartphone use has caused disagreements with their partners.
Read MorePhysical Health
I frequently see teenagers referred to my clinic complaining of chronic fatigue, daytime sleepiness, pain and headaches.
Read MoreMental Health
Studies have found that sleep disturbance can lead to depression in teenagers.
Read MoreSleep Hygiene
Alongside an increase in smartphone ownership and use in teenagers, recent data also suggests a shift towards poorer sleep patterns over the past decades.
Read MoreTrends in smartphone use in Teenagers (parents look away now!)
A recent study found that American college students spent nearly 9 hours a day on their mobile phones!
Read More
