With the pandemic having changed our relationships with myriad things in life (including the one with our own self), it’s worth noting how our relationship with technology too has undergone a drastic overhaul or, so to speak, an apparent metamorphosis.
From banking and finance to classrooms and study material being a click away, the glossy little rectangles have perhaps played a significant role in keeping the ball rolling even when the entire world was locked down though in different phases. Moreover, it has also assured great satisfaction of our other humane needs like enjoying entertainment, communicating, socializing, etc., all within the confines of our homes.
Thus, there is absolutely no denying the boons that the ultimate cornucopia has showered, provided used intelligently, in keeping us connected yet isolated. However, the idea that the smartphone has apparently become a “bodily organ” was further ironically reinforced when information about scientists developing a low-cost and non-invasive method was doing the rounds in July 2021. It was said that the newfound technology can accurately and double-quickly detect COVID-19 with the help of samples collected from the consoles of our smartphones.
Well, let’s admit the fact that our smart devices have become the constant (read lovers) of our lives whom we do not wish to lose or part ways with. But isn’t it bewildering how dependent and close (in fact, a lot closer than ever before owing to the virus outbreak) we have grown to them? We not only store our usernames, passwords, PIN codes, phone numbers or mark special birthdays, anniversaries, etc. on them but also access all the information in the world through a single click on them, thanks to the internet.
Just as a computer has a hard disk drive to store external data apart from its central processing unit, quite similarly are we, the homo sapiens species, imitating these inanimate objects in using smart devices as our very own extended brain. It is as if the human brain is already brimming with truckloads of information that we are forced to rely on supplementary ‘digi-brains’ to work for us. But is it really the quantity of data that is forcing us to use our devices as our extended storehouses or is it the utility or the availability of such a privilege of having everything a cellphone away that we have really given up on remembering anything?
Users are now, to say the least, okay with forgetting or risk forgetting information that they can find easily or look at again online. This very phenomenon of forgetting information or not consciously making an effort to remember things due to trusting a digital device to store and remember for us is what is termed Digital Amnesia. According to Kaspersky Lab, the said phenomenon is yet to be scientifically recognized.
Experts state that smartphone addiction could actually hamper the brain’s ability to retain new information and form new memories. This is because relying less on the mind builds fewer neuron connections in the brain, stagnating its development and potentially leading to a loss of the ability to remember quickly. In fact, it might not be as shocking for you to learn that uninterrupted usage of devices is what leads to interrupted sleep. However, discovering that sleep disturbance/deprivation is what somehow directly or indirectly leads to Digital Amnesia might distress you. It has been found that healthy adults experience 13% to 23% of their nightly sleep as deep sleep. So, if you sleep for eight hours every night, that’s approx 62-110 minutes of deep sleep.
During deep sleep, a variety of functions take place in our mind and body, but the most important ones are the consolidation of memories and the detoxification of the brain. Experts explain that it’s during deep sleep that our brain detoxifies itself and engages in synaptic pruning. Synaptic pruning is a process of pruning, i.e., removing old information no longer needed in order to make room for registering the new one. With sleeping cycles disturbed, synaptic pruning doesn’t take place properly, severely affecting our ability to retain new information and form new memories as well.
The pandemic has further added to the problem of smartphone addiction or its irrational usage because of no scope of physical F2F social interactions. Instead of going around, bumping into each other, and hanging out together, everyone is confined to four walls of their house, staring at the same screen for endless online meets, projects, etc., and consequently staring at the ceiling up in the night while attempting to hit the sack ASAP. It seems as if it’s an interrelated cycle.
Excessive usage of devices is what induces sleep disturbance which further hampers our ability to retain, making us all the more dependent on our devices to perform the functions of collecting and recalling the intended info. On the other hand, data available at the click of a button is another reason directly related to our failure to commit information to memory, receding our capacity to remember and this is precisely where our smart devices enter into the picture as our apparent extended depositories, shooting up our usage of them and repeat.
Thus, the long-term effects of digital devices and the internet are being actively scrutinized and investigated by neuroscientists and psychologists all across the globe. This is because digital technology is not just transforming the way we live and work but also the way we think, learn, behave and most importantly–remember.
It’s quite startling to note how connected devices have not just become our primary source of information or knowledge but the default storage space for our most important personal information including contacts and images. According to a survey by Kaspersky Lab, almost half of the smartphone owners aged between 16 and 44 admit that their phone holds almost everything and anything that they need to know or recall, thereby being highly dependent.
The study further elucidated that both men and women are equally experiencing digital amnesia across all age groups. In fact, contrary to general perception, it was found that respondents aged 45 and above are more likely to head straight looking for answers to their questions on the internet. They either write the fact down or mostly choose to forget the fact once assumed and believed that it will always be out there somewhere.
The internet is transforming the way we search for and remember facts; thus, the dire need of the hour is to protect our memory power and all that we no longer remember. Even more so personal information which indeed seems very vulnerable to a data breach if stored solely on e-devices. While connected devices enrich our lives, they have given rise to potentially risky phenomena like Digital Amnesia. Moreover, smartphone addiction not only accelerates memory loss but also deteriorated eye health, adverse effects on mental health, posture problems, so forth, and so on. Hence, in view of all that we have covered so far, here are a few pointers (not an exhaustive list) to consider if you wish to prevent Digital Amnesia:
– Say NO to using digital devices once a week to say YES to your overall well-being
– Refrain from taking your smartphone along with you to the bed
– Turn off notifications for all non-essential apps especially social media platforms
– Either remove all the applications that drain your energy or reorganize your home screen in a way that such apps aren’t easy to access
– While feeling the urge to store something on your device, use a notepad/diary and pen to make short notes
– Maintain a digital journal to track your digital activities across all devices, be it a smartphone, tablet, laptop, etc. Analyze which areas need improvement and gradually cut back on activities that add no value
Thus, as rightly said by Esther Perel, “The quality of your life ultimately depends on the quality of your relationships.”, it’s time that we rethink our equation with technology as well.
Written by -Aakriti Sanghi
Edited by – Oishika Ghoshal
