Rebalance Your Brain

There may be a downside for our health, says Gary Small, MD, author of iBrain: Surviving the Technological Alteration of the Modern Mind.

For one thing, digital immersion can cause us to lose the social connections that protect us from stress. And video games--while they may improve eye-hand coordination and even help train surgeons and pilots--may also suppress the frontal lobe of the brain, hindering memory, attention, and problem-solving skills.

“It's not all good; it's not all bad,” says Dr. Small. “It's about finding the right balance.”

Here are his tips for taking control:

• Add up your total leisure time spent with technology. Aim to reduce the total by 10 to 20 percent, freeing up more time for family and friends.
• Make regular family dinners a priority. Research shows that teenagers who talk about their day with family members at the dinner table (instead of eating alone in front of a screen) are less likely to engage in high-risk behavior.
• Vary your tasks. Alternating between chores throughout the day reduces the stress associated with a computer-centered lifestyle. Switch often between answering e-mails, returning calls, and writing a document.