Digital
Downtime
What’s in your de-stress toolbox?
story // angela ambrose
48
maskmatters.org
suMMer
2012
PhotograPhy
Tina Greggo
he constant vibrating and ringing of your
smartphone may be stressing you out, according
to research presented at this year’s British
Psychological Society meeting in Chester,
England.The study showed a relationship between people’s
stress levels and the number of times they check their phones
for personal messages and social networking updates.
“You’re being constantly stimulated, and anyone that
is constantly stimulated is going to get overwhelmed,” says
Robert Puff, Ph.D., clinical psychologist and meditation
expert in Newport Beach, Calif. To help reduce stress, Puff
recommends taking regular breaks from the digital world.
Here are a few simple tools to help you power down and relax:
ExErcisE
Engaging in physical activities not only strengthens
your body and immune system, but also allows you to let go
of pent up emotions and boost your mood and energy level.
Choose activities you enjoy, from hiking, running or biking, to
jumping rope or swimming laps. Taking your exercise outdoors
into the sunshine and fresh air can have an added calming effect
and help your body produce Vitamin D.
DEEp brEathing anD mEDitation
“Meditation is
basically having your mind still and following your breath,” says
Puff. Breathe deeply in and out through your nose and lengthen
your breath as you slowly count to four on the inhale and
exhale. When introducing meditation to kids, Puff recommends
using guided meditations.
progrEssivE musclE rElaxation
Focus on one body
part at a time as you alternately contract and relax your muscles,
starting with your face and working your way down to your
chest, arms, stomach and legs. Tense each muscle group as you
take a deep inhale and hold your breath for several seconds,
then relax the muscles as you exhale. Repeat with
each muscle group until you have covered your
entire body.
EscapE with a favoritE
activity
Find a hobby or activity that
you love and immerse yourself in it, such
as reading a novel, writing in a journal
or listening to music. Taking a long,
soothing bath or calling
a close friend can also help
you unwind and let go of
negative emotions.
Eat anD slEEp wEll
Don’t
forget to fuel your body with
healthy, nutrient-rich foods and
power down your electronics early
in the evening, so you’ll get a long,
restful night’s sleep.
reboot & reconnect
sUMMER
2012
maskmatters.org
49
Family Time by
The DecaDes
CABLE TV
became
the standard in
homes across the
country. And, with the
popularization of the
VCR, “
FAMILY MOVIE
NIGHT
” became a
common way for
families to spend time
together. For the first
time, more than half
of American families
had two parents in the
labor force.
1980s
In this decade of technological
advancements, pagers and mobile
phones became widely available.
The
INTErNET
became
EAsILY
ACCEssIBLE
from home computers,
and video games became popular.
Many attribute technology to
improved family communication.
1990s
Facebook brought
sOCIAL MEdIA TO
THE MAINsTrEAM
, allowing family
members to regularly keep in contact,
but the iPod revolutionized the way kids
and teens listen to music, often privately.
“Family Game Night,” a concept branded
by toymaker Hasbro, evolved to include
video games on such platforms as the
Nintendo Wii and Xbox Kinect.
2000s
HAs
TECHNOLOGY
uNITEd
YOur
FAMILY
Or
IsOLATEd
MEMBErs
TO THEIr OwN
dIGITAL wOrLds?
2012
Family philosophy evolved to
promote the “
COMpANIONATE
FAMILY
,” which rejected Victorian
ideals of hierarchy and embraced
the ideas of affection between
family members and nurturing of
children by their parents.
1920s
Most families were
feeling the full effects
of the Depression,
but
rAdIOs BECAME
COMMON
in households
throughout the country.
Families often listened
to radio shows together
such as “Little Orphan
Annie” and “The Amos
and Andy Show.”
1930s
Many families were
separated as men
went off to fight in
World War II. The
radio remained the
most popular form of
media for information
and entertainment,
while
MOVIEs
started
becoming more and
more popular.
1940s
With the war over,
family became a highly
regarded American
value.
TELEVIsION
was the
prINCIpAL
FOrM OF MEdIA
,
with more than 77
percent of homes
owning one by 1955.
The number of hours
per week that families
spent watching TV
steadily increased
throughout the decade.
1950s
With the invention
of the outdoor gas
grill,
BACkYArd
BArBECuEs
became
a
pOpuLAr wAY
for
families to spend time
together. TV was still
a large component of
family time, with many
families spending their
evenings watching
“The Ed Sullivan
Show” together.
1960s
rOAd TrIps
in the
station wagon were an
increasingly common
type of
FAMILY
VACATION
, with
recreational vehicles
(RVs) and motor
homes also becoming
popular.
1970s