I like to think of myself as a productive person. I scheduled
everything, from my work, to what and when the children eat. Yes, I’m a
control freak.
I’m one of those
people who even ensures that I am productive while relaxing: I for
instance watch TV while checking my messages or browsing.
Imagine
my dismay therefore when I came across research that showed switching
between your phone and your TV trains your brain to become disorganised.
Control freaks do not like any disorganisation, you should see my sock
drawer.
According to a study
conducted at the University of Copenhagen, when we switch between
screens, we’re essentially rewiring the brain to try to store
information in the wrong place. Normally, when we focus on one task at a
time, and take in information in the way it should be, it is stored in
the hippocampus.
Known as the ‘library of the brain’, this is where data is organised in a way that makes it easy to recall.
However,
when we keep switching between gadgets, the information is sent to
another part of the brain called the striatum. This area of the brain is
responsible for planning movement and motivation, as opposed to
storage, making any information it receives more difficult to recall.
Furthermore,
every time you switch between gadgets, the scientists found that you
release a chemical called L-dopa, which converts to dopamine in the
brain.
'WORSE THAN BEING STONED'
Dopamine
is a neurotransmitter that is normally released when you do something
pleasurable, (eat food, have sex, or exercise), but elevated levels of
dopamine have been associated with addictive behaviour.
In
fact, the scientists have compared the effect of flicking between
gadgets on cognitive ability as being “worse than being stoned” on
cannabis.
Perhaps more interestingly,
the study asked people to use their smartphone/tablet while watching
TV, and then quizzed them to see how much information they could think
about at once. Even though most thought that multi-tasking made them
feel more productive, a little over half could remember what had been on
TV. It is no wonder then that researchers have indicated that this
‘flicking’ behaviour lowers IQ.
At
the clinic, I’ve found that people trying to quit addictive behaviour,
whether it’s Candy Crush or smoking, their dopamine levels suffer.
As
a 2008 study showed, your brain uses dopamine to tell your body when to
stop eating – this explains why some former ‘addicts’ put on weight.
Worse
still, over-eating eventually causes loss of dopamine in the brain, and
a decrease in receptors in charge of satiety – so ultimately, you crave
more and more and never feel satisfied.
So
what’s a natural way to boost dopamine levels? Eat foods that are
high in the amino acid tyrosine, the natural building block of dopamine.
These
include fava beans, chicken, oats, ricotta cheese and wheat germ. The
temptation to overeat should diminish with time, as the dopamine
receptors in the brain reactivate. Eventually, you will be able to
derive increased pleasure from smaller amounts of food.
While
supplementing with L-tyrosine is another option, I would strongly
advise you to consult a qualified health practitioner prior to taking
it. It should be used with caution especially if you are using drugs to
treat heart disorders, if you have hypertension, or are taking
anti-depressants.
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