While most of the conversation surrounding the biochemical effects of phones has revolved around dopamine–the brain chemical connected to habits, which smartphone and app developers have exploited to feed our dependency and behavioral addictions–the relation of our phones to cortisol is even more shocking.
As journalist Catherine Price, author of How to Break Up With Your Phone, wrote for the New York Times:
“Cortisol is our primary fight-or-flight hormone. Its release triggers physiological changes, such as spikes in blood pressure, heart rate and blood sugar, that help us react to and survive acute physical threats.
These effects can be lifesaving if you are actually in physical danger — like, say, you’re being charged by a bull. But our bodies also release cortisol in response to emotional stressors where an increased heart rate isn’t going to do much good, such as checking your phone to find an angry email from your boss.”
Now it’s one thing if the occasional notification sends our cortisol levels upwards due to some phone-related issue—but it isn’t that simple....read more>>>...