In case you needed another reason to put your phone down...

This year I have tried to be intentional about putting my phone down more often. I've even tried leaving my phone in another room while at home. It's an incredibly addictive device and honestly it's not easy to keep from looking at it every 2.5 seconds.

This might help you unplug though.

A recent study published in Addictive Behaviors has found that your phone addiction has a similar affect on your brain as an actual drug addiction. Specifically they found that your addictive behavior with your device can alter the size and shape of your brain, which can alter your cognitive function. And if you think it's helping your brain, think again. It actually decreases your gray matter volume. This gray matter is responsible for muscle control and sensory perceptions like sight, hearing, memory, emotions, etc. A behavioral addiction like this also decreases your neural activity.

In other words being on your phone 24/7 will mess with your brain's structure and function.

The problem lies in the dopamine that is released in our brains when we're on our phones. We get a rush of that hormone as well as endorphins when we use our phones. They make us feel good. However, it sounds like they may be harming us in the long run.

Obviously phones are an integral part of our daily lives, but this study seriously questions the harmlessness of these devices. And when you hear about the health of your brain deteriorating due to excessive screen time it really makes you think about the long term affects, especially on children. It may be time to set up some serious limits.

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