It is known that technology is becoming the sole focus of many adolescents and teens globally, but not everyone is aware that technology is ultimately reprogramming our brains. As a generation that has grown up in the “digital age,” bright screens and keyboards have always been a part of our lives, but little do we know the toll that it is taking on our minds. There are many characteristics that we seem to attribute to teenagers, but it turns out that a lot of these, including sleep loss, can be directly blamed on electronics. 

A cell phone, with its many features, easily lends itself to the art of multitasking, but this is not necessarily helpful to productivity and the development of the brain. Multitasking actually leads to the decrease of productivity. The brain is too distracted to hone in on one particular task, and over time, it becomes unable to cancel out excess noise or thoughts. As the mind is altered while using electronics, it becomes unable to concentrate even offline. This may explain the tendency to procrastinate while doing homework. 

Another downside to technology is that it takes away from various other activities, including sleep. Studies show that the average teenager spends about seven and a half hours using technology, which is more time than most spend asleep. Between grades, sports, social events, and more, it seems as though we rarely get a moment’s rest, but when we finally do  slow down, we feel bored. Silence is rarely heard of, with all of the noise in a teen’s life, but is this life’s doing or our own? Another side effect of constant technology use is that we get addicted to it. Electronics worm their way into every aspect of our lives and each and every moment. We become almost allergic to down time, and we fight boredom. As we are constantly busy, our brain doesn’t have enough time to process information and form memories, so we can credit our deteriorating memory and creativity to bright screens. 

All in all, while technology does provide us with many incredible opportunities and tools, it’s important to realize that even good things are only good in moderation. Being a generation that knows the ins and out of technology comes with great responsibility, so take charge of your brain and be aware of the changing world around you.