The rise of the Techno Self in the age of Covid
EFFECT OF ENVIRONMENTAL STRESSORS (TECHNOLOGY AND AI) ON BRAIN, MIND AND HEART HEALTH
Last week continuing my work around the nature and future of life and work pre and post Covid19. I gave a presentation to the Bank of America asking the question “Are we all becoming machine junkies in the age of Covid19?”
In the new landscape that has and is constantly evolving and emerging this is a very important topic to be discussing. Considering we don’t know what the long term effects of constant tech use and stimulation on the brain, heart and mind are or will be. Through the pandemic we can see how our social intelligence and behaviours have changed forever as we are continually forced to adapt and keep up (something that humans don’t like to do but are very capable of). But will this experience ultimately change our values and in the process change our own feelings of self-worth?
Bearing all of this mind why don’t we then think of technology and ai as environmental stressors on our brains, mind and heart?
Neurologic — Typically refers to relating to the anatomy, functions, and organic disorders of nerves and the nervous system, neurological diseases like Dementia and Alzheimers. With our evolving society becoming increasingly dependent on ai systems and devices since COVID19. Will the over-reliance of this evolving technology be a contributing factor in the future that impedes our cognitive functions and makes us more susceptible to neurological diseases? With the rising levels of ‘technostress’ being reported in different groups from those working remotely to those being displaced by the virus/technology to the older generation that are struggling to update their tech skills quick enough to find work. The markers for this constant technological stimulation come from constantly navigating between different devices and software throughout the day as well as emails, video calls or turning to a streaming service after work to relax.
Bearing all of this in mind l guess one of the main questions to ask is does constant use and stimulation make our brains ‘Digitally demented or Digitally enhanced? With our personal and professional landscapes changing with Covid and our ever increasing dependency on technology to live. What are the long-term affects going to be? For example to the ‘Hippocampi’ , part of the limbic system which plays essential roles in the consolidation of information from short-term memory to long-term memory, and in spatial memory (that enables our navigation). However if the brain is as plastic as neuroscience proposes then why not imagine digital dementia as a sort of reversible dementia, such as that caused by depression, alcohol and drug abuse, and nutritional deficiencies? And perhaps like the human brain, digital media are also plastic in nature.
TECHNOLOGY AND AI CONNECTED DEVICES THE FORECAST
2020: 20B connected devices & 1 Trillion Sensors
2030: 50B connected devices & 100 Trillion Sensors
With IoT set to create $6.2 Trillion of New economic value by 2025
With our tech habits increasing, we are denying our brains critical downtime, impacting our ability for deep- thinking and reducing the capacity for maintained focus. Skills in critical thinking and analysis have declined as our use of technology has increased. All effecting how both nervous systems CNS (central nervous system) and the peripheral nervous system function. With levels of social isolation increasing could social media and the time we spend on the Internet be partly to blame?
CHRONIC PSYCHOSOCIAL STRESS AND POSSIBLE LINKS TO HYPERTENSION
Social relationships are important sources of emotional and practical support and can buffer the negative physical and psychological effects of stress. The lack of supportive relationships not only leaves one without these resources but can itself be a major source of stress. Social isolation, defined in terms of the size and composition of the social network (eg, marital status, number of close friends and relatives, religious or other group affiliations) has been prospectively associated with cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality. Broadly speaking, stress is conceptualised as the perception of environmental demands that are believed to exceed one’s resources for adapting to the situation. Genetic and behavioural factors do not fully explain the development of hypertension, and there is increasing evidence suggesting that psychosocial factors may also play an important role. Exposure to chronic stress has been hypothesised as a risk factor for hypertension, and occupational stress, stressful aspects of the social environment, and low socioeconomic status have each been studied extensively. The study of discrimination is a more recent and rapidly growing area of investigation and may also help to explain the well-known racial disparities in hypertension. Research regarding mechanisms underlying stress effects on hypertension has largely focused on cardiovascular reactivity, but delayed recovery to the pre-stress level is increasingly being evaluated as another possible pathway. Loneliness, which reflects a discrepancy between one’s actual and desired level of social connectedness, has been associated with cardiovascular function and reactivity to laboratory stress though its influence on hypertension risk has not yet been evaluated.
1.Spruill T. M. (2010). Chronic psychosocial stress and hypertension. Current hypertension reports, 12(1), 10–16. doi:10.1007/s11906–009–0084–8
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE AND HYPERTENSION
High blood pressure, or hypertension, rarely has noticeable symptoms. But if untreated, it increases your risk of serious problems such as heart attacks and strokes. Around a third of adults in the UK have high blood pressure, although many will not realise it.
WHY REGULAR DIGITAL DETOX’S SHOULD BECOME 2ND NATURE
Whilst technology is giving us amazing opportunities to learn more about and treat ourselves and do amazing things. It is, however, important to find a healthy balance between being and doing. Regularly scheduled time away from the distractions of phones, emails and the internet by spending time in nature and with others can help reduce levels of stress a contributing factor to hypertension. Along with looking at how we might be able to simplify areas of our life can help us find our way back to optimum wellness while at the same time consciously co-existing in this new world that is ever-evolving.
Here are a few of my useful hacks to manage your Techno Self
- Work out and discern what means of communication you prefer — setting boundaries with yourself and others.
- Don’t try and be on every platform at all times.
- Block out parts of day on your daily and weekly schedule when you take no video or face time calls that includes family!
- Organise and review: Set up folders to better manage the influx of emails personal and professional.
- As tempting as it is ditch the electronics during breaks that includes music on devices. Instead go outside and get some fresh air, natural light and noise.
