Scientists have discovered a connection between the frequency of using a mobile phone, checking incoming messages and the impact on the most important cognitive skills of a person. Smartphones have changed the way we communicate, think and behave in all aspects of our lives, writes The Jerusalem Post.

Researchers in many countries are constantly trying to understand how deep this impact is, as well as the consequences for our health. The negative impact of smartphones is usually emphasized, but it is important to understand that phones are a tool that can help and even improve our brain health.

Last September, a study published in the British Journal of Psychology found a disturbing link between increased smartphone use and brain damage. Checking your phone throughout the day is a sign of poor cognitive function, according to a study.

The researchers said that frequent use of the phone can lead to cognitive strain, which manifests itself in reduced attention and ability to concentrate, as well as memory problems. Researchers have also found that prolonged smartphone use affects the ability to focus and complete tasks.

How often you check your phone affects how your brain works

However, in the current study, experts found that the same cognitive impairments were not significantly related to phone use, but mostly depended on the frequency of checking the phone throughout the day, as well as how it was used.

Thus, the researchers found that the most obvious harm was in those who checked their phone frequently throughout the day, especially if they used it for shopping, entertainment or gaming. What surprised the researchers was that those who used the phone for social interactions or used special tools did not experience any decline in cognitive function and even showed improved skills in some cases.

Phones provide access to all the world’s information and tools that help improve almost all areas of life.

But how can the phone help us?

Andri Hartanto, a professor of psychology at the University of Singapore and lead author of the study, found that certain types of smartphone use can temporarily improve our cognitive functions.

For example, programs associated with useful tools, such as a calculator or maps, can help people conserve cognitive resources and use them for other mental tasks.

Hartanto says the discovery highlights the complex relationship between phone use and brain function. In this way, we can optimize its advantages and minimize its potential disadvantages.

Some of the signs of excessive phone use include: feelings of irritability, restlessness, nervousness when the phone cannot be used for various reasons, loss of control over the time spent with the phone in hand, significant difficulty and even inability to find other areas of interests and activities other than using the mobile telephone; waking up several times a night to check the phone.

Sometimes excessive use of the phone interferes with success at work or studies, as well as relationships with people; Your loved ones start to worry about the time spent with the phone in their hands. (Photo: Dreamstime.com)

Read also:

• What did you do with your time when you weren’t scrolling on your phone all day? “I read more” or “I imagined what other people thought”
• Mobile Phone Addiction: A 21st Century Cultural Phenomenon or a Real Addiction? A psychiatrist’s answer