A SECOND OPINION
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Don ’ t We all Need More “ Green Time ?”
I
, like most , felt a change in my brain during the “ dog days ” of the pandemic . With over 30 years in the field , it was very different doing more work remotely and spending more time at home . With required social isolation and more time in front of a computer , I found my routine changing and felt myself habituating to constant “ screen time .” I never used to get anxious when I forgot my phone at the office or when my laptop locked up ! Was I becoming a screen addict ?
By the nature of my work as a psychiatrist and administrator , the shift to virtual work was ongoing and relatively seamless . Pre-pandemic , our therapists and clinicians had already moved to a virtual platform that was performed at our Hub office . Patients were seen via Zoom in their primary care offices and occasionally at home . Post pandemic onset , all the patients were then seen at home and our clinicians worked from home . Without the daily commute , we could squeeze in more patients as the need was high . This is one of many reasons we now understand that working remotely does not necessarily mean more time with family or for self-care , but frequently equates to many more hours of work in front of a screen .
My nature is to stay busy , and I like being productive , but I ’ m also a social creature who needs that time with colleagues and proximity to patients . I started going back in to the office most days , but I was usually still alone as everyone was isolating in their offices . All of this time not being “ out and about ” and around other humans began to extract its toll on my attitude . I found my mind wandering and my enthusiasm waning . I was more edgy with the
by JOHN J . WERNERT , MD , MHA
family and short-tempered with peers . Restless and fidgety , I had to put more energy in to staying on task and controlling my irritation with “ nothing in particular .” By early 2022 , I began to realize that I was spending way too much time indoors and in front of a screen . I began looking for answers . It was time for a reset . I needed to change my routine and get back to nature .
Victoria Dunckley , MD , in her 2015 book about reversing the effects of electronic screen-time notes , “ Greenery draws the eye but lowers the heart rate and blood pressure thereby restoring the focus and our ability to tolerate stress . Even pictures of greenery and viewing nature out of a window helps , but time spent outdoors in nature is more powerful .”
I realized I was indeed spending too much of my day indoors in the blue glare emitting from my digital devices and depriving myself of the restorative effects of “ green time .” I began a daily 2-mile walk with our dog ( who was also getting pudgy ) every day , seven days a week , no excuses . Even on cold winter days with the trees down , being in nature forced me to slow down , focus inward and be more reflective . I began feeling like my old “ good ” self within just a few weeks .
So , when you realize that smart phones aren ’ t so smart , and blue computer screens aren ’ t so calming , maybe it ’ s time to reset with some green time . Unplug – put down the iPhone , power down the laptop , turn off the Netflix and get outside . Throw a ball with the kids , run with the dog or take a long walk in nature . Your brain and your psyche will thank you !
Dr . Wernert is the Executive Medical Director of Norton Medical Group and practices with Norton Behavioral Medicine .
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