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How Do Smartphones Affect Your Mental Health?
Research has shown that how much exercise we think we're getting relative to others significantly affects our long term health outcomes and life expectancy. One study found that perceived activity levels relative to piers was associated with mortality s even after adjusting for actual activity levels. Step trackers can shape our perception of whether we're doing enough activity, in part by giving us the arbitrary ten thousand step bench mark. Meditation aps like head space will send us notifications saying that our minds can't be healthy or at peace without meditation. These messages may spark a similar perception of inadequacy about mental health as the arbitrary 10 thousand stepmark does for physical health. Both perceptions may ultimately affect your health.