How Your Smartphone Plays Into Your Mood

Researchers at Nottingham Trent University have found that more than a third of smart phone notifications could have a negative impact on our emotions.

Using an app they developed, researchers tracked a group of 50 participants over a three-week period. They found that 32% of all notifications had a negative impact on the person’s mood. Some of the feelings were hostility, nervousness, shame and even fear.

Wi-Fi availability notifications had the worst impact on a person’s emotions. Additionally, work related notifications had an especially negative impact as well. They discovered that, “These digital alerts continuously disrupt our activities through instant calls for attention.” The researchers stated that we need to better understand exactly how our phones affect our well-being.

On a positive note, the study also concluded that people like to receive messages from friends. These type of notifications created a sense of community. The discoveries made by this research could potentially impact the development of a personalized cell phone or smartphone in the future.

Until then, the best thing to do is to silence your smartphone and put it away in a desk drawer where you can’t see it. This will improve both your efficiency at work and your mood. Also, if possible, try to reduce the number of notifications you receive on your phone, especially the ones that cause you the most stress and anxiety. Try instead to focus on the present moment.