8 Ways Technology Can Help Reduce Stress
We live in a stressful world and are constantly in the rat race, beginning with our homes, workplaces, educational intuitions, etc. So, how does one handle high levels of stress on a daily basis? In times gone by, people had the time and inclination to go for morning walks or chat up with friends during the evenings but now, such social tools are becoming rare, due to the pace of modern lite. With the advent of the internet, relentless connectivity and long office hours. a lot of people blame technology for the stress they experience. However, there is another side to the story that is often neglected.
Technology Helps Fight Stress
In the good old days, it would not have been possible for one to check blood pressure or blood sugar at a hospital, leave aside, doing it at home! But, thanks to technology, lite expectancy has improved threefold worldwide, over the past century. Moreover, technology can actually help alleviate stress using simple tools such as music and calendars. Here we take a look at how technology can help us fight stress.
- Extensive research and experimentation has been conducted on the benefits of music on the brain and people are now aware of it. Some companies now make audio technologies that harness the power of music to relax the mind and trick it into going into a relaxed mode. These apps can be downloaded on phones and headphones and are all you need to reap the benefits from most of them.
- Though constant connectivity can leave one feeling disjointed and disconnected. On the other hand, social networking sites such as Facebook. Twitter, etc. can connect people with their peers, friends. family and mentors in meaningful ways. A study has even found that social media makes teens more sensitive towards their relationships. Although person to person communication can never be replaced by social media interaction, Intentional and purposeful connectivity can improve the quality of lite and relationships. Studies have shown that strong social networks can reduce stress and technology can play a part in building and maintaining those relationships.
- There are applications that assess the current physical state of users through sensors to monitor the markers of stress, blood pressure, heart rate, breathing rate etc. These apps notify users when the parameters exceed acceptable levels. The app sends a message to direct one to a personalized guide to help.
- Office productivity tools can alleviate job stress by helping employees manage their time better. Calendars and task list applications can help employees stay organized and stress-free. Calendar reminders and alerts can help keep a tab on important dates. Something as simple as emailing and messaging can help avoid lengthy meetings and face-to-face sessions, thus improving productivity. Similarly, notepads can help keep track of things without torturing one’s grey cells.
- Grounding technologies do just what the name suggests. They are simple devices that connect one to the earth. According to a study, negative ions accumulate in the body during long periods of work or due to being inside buildings, leading to stress. Grounding devices such as mats made of good conductors of electricity drain away the negative ions to the earth and several companies are making such devices.
- Tracking daily activities relentlessly can be challenging. Technology can track precisely how many calories are taken in and burned, keep a tab on sleep quality and activity levels, and check stress responses too. Equipped with all this information, one can make informed decisions. Though technology ¡s still in its infancy stage. the day is not far when such devices will become part of our lives.
- Prospective digital health technologies are in the pipeline with extensive experimentation on these devices, they will help monitor, measure and track stress levels on smartphones. A futuristic smartphone tool even aims to measure stress hormone cortisol levels in one’s saliva. Using the tool, one would be able to keep a tab on stress levels in ten minutes at a small cost.
- With wearable technology taking off in a big way. there is news of biosensors getting implanted in watches or glasses. giving constant updates about one’s health. A number of new-age technology companies are conducting research in this promising direction.
Condusively, technology has irrevocably changed and shaped our lives for the better. This has happened to such an extent, that we have become oblivious to it. So, it’s now time to reap the rewards of the tech world.