Do Our Brains Need a Break? - Ten News Deep Dive 🧠

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A Ten News Deep Dive: Episode 535

😵‍💫 Ryan is officially over screentimed, making for a ry-mergency in the studio. Expert Megan Kiefer from Take Two Media Initiative is here to talk about taking charge of our mental health and responsibly engaging in media

📱 Teen media ambassadors Gemma, Brianny, and Cyrus share the mental health impacts of too much screen time and some tips on taking media breaks

😴 Plus, sleep expert Lindsay Scola weighs in on the importance of sleep

🤔 Do you know how to regulate your own screen time with your phone? Let's find out!

Resources

https://www.taketwomediainitiative.org/about-us

https://www.wired.com/story/grayscale-ios-android-smartphone-addiction/

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Transcript:

INT. TEN NEWS STUDIO 

<SFX Light switch ON, the whole studio powers ON> 

PAM: Goooood morning, Ten News studio–

RYAN: (ZOMBIFIED) Hey Pam, yeah, I’m good, thanks– <SFX of Switch game and controller> <SFX a tv show in the second screen>

PAM: WHOA MY GOSH! Ryan? Were you just sitting here in the dark? Why are you here so early?

RYAN: (mumbling ish) Yeah, no, I just, I’m gaming, and stuff, and what time it is…are how you, Pumela? 

PAM: Wait. Have you been here since yesterday…? Gaming and screen timing… all night? 

RYAN: No! Maybe well cause yeah! Show start we gotta. I’m Ryan Willard. It’s Funday, February 31st. 

PAM: Nope. That’s not a real day. But I’m Pamela Kirkland, it’s Friday, March 14th– 

RYAN: –Furday, March 40th and we’re going to do a shallow jump! 

PAM: Close. This is a Ten News Deep Dive.

INT. TEN NEWS STUDIO

<SFX Switch game and controller sounds in background>

RYAN: (Still ZOMBIFIED, sings) Everything is aaaawesome, everything is cool when you’re part of a meme–

EVERETT: I don’t think I’ve ever seen him like this. 

PAM: Me neither. He’s like, fully zombified. How you doing buddy? (no response, just <SFX of Ryan still playing/screening>)

EVERETT: Hey Ry, it’s Everett–

RYAN: What’s up Everett–

EVERETT: Maybe we should get Kap–

RYAN: Kap. Ten. Kap-ten. Underpants. Kap-Ten Underpants is here to save the day–

EVERETT: Okay, he can hear us, but he’s not fully there…should we press the RY-MERGENCY button on his desk?

PAM: I mean, I’m always a little weary of Ryan’s inventions…but I don’t see any other option... 

<SFX button press> <SFX startup chime> 

RYAN: (RECORDING) Thank you for pressing the Ry-Mergency button. Please select the option that best describes your Ry-Mergency: Is Ryan short tempered, irritable and unable to make decisions? If so he may be “HANGRY.” 

PAM: That’s not it but he was totally hangry for a bit yesterday–

RYAN: (RECORDING) Did Ryan eat onions and is currently experiencing uncontrollable flatulence that smells like burnt, rotten eggs? If so, he may be having a “FART ATTACK.

EVERETT: (SFX SNIFF SNIFFS) Nope, that’s not it. 

RYAN: (RECORDING) Is Ryan zombified, fixated on  electronic devices, and not making any sense when he speaks? If so, he may be “OVER SCREENTIMED.”

PAM: Yes! Ryan is “Over Screentimed.”

RYAN: (RECORDING) If Ryan is “Over Screentimed,” you may need to dump ice cold water on his head–

EVERETT: I’ve always wanted to do that– <SFX runs away>

RYAN: (RECORDING ) –or you should contact Megan Kiefer, from the Take Two Media Initiative. She’ll know what to do. 

EVERETT: <SFX runs back> Alright I’ve got the ice water, we doing this? 

PAM: Hold on, lemme contact Megan Kiefer first… <SFX FACETIME RING>

MEGAN: Hi, this is Megan. 

PAM: Hi Megan, I’m Pam–

MEGAN: Pamela Kirkland from the Ten News! Of course I know you. Wait…is this a Ry-Mergency? 

PAM: It is. 

EVERETT: I’ve got a bucket of ice water ready to go!

MEGAN: Hold me up to him? Hey Ry! It’s your friend Megan, how you doing? 

RYAN: (ZOMBIFIED) Game just I wanna. Where phone is my? There is phone! I. Phone. Love!

MEGAN: Okay, Ryan is not able to hear grown ups. I’m gonna connect him with some Take Two teen media ambassadors, he should be able to hear them. In the meantime, you can hit him with that ice water. 

EVERETT: OH YES! <SFX throws water bucket> <SFX SPLASH> 

RYAN: (man scream) AHHHHHHHHHH–I SING TAYLOR SWIFT IN THE SHOWER!

PAM: Okay, wow! That’s an unexpected fun fact. Let’s take a quick break, while Everett grabs him a towel…

INT. TEN NEWS STUDIO 

PAM: Okay we’re back. Ryan is drying off but still not able to hear grown ups… Megan, who are your friends?

MEGAN: These are some of our Teen media ambassadors. Introduce yourselves! And please, talk some sense into Ryan. 

PAM: To learn more about being a media ambassador, visit take two media initiative dot org

INT. TEN NEWS STUDIO

PAM: You back with us, Ry? You can hear me?

RYAN: Yes. I can hear you…but I’m kinda loopy. My brain isn’t working correctly.

PAM: I have a feeling you’re sleep deprived. And that’s not good.

RYAN: It’s just a little sleep. I can always catch up on it, right?

PAM: Well, maybe, but I have an expert I think we should chat with…Ryan, meet Lindsay Scola, she’s a sleep expert.

RYAN: SFX: Snoring 

PAM: Uh, Ry…are you napping?

RYAN: (sleepy) Yea, Lindsay said that naps are good. 

PAM: They are but not when we’re in the middle of the show, and definitely not when they make you drool on my desk. 

<SFX Trivia Room door opens

OWEN: Welcome to the Trivia Room!

EVERETT: Whatup Owen! 

OWEN: Everett! What’s up my guy? What’s good, Ryan?

RYAN: I feel like I just woke up but need to go back to sleep. I need to take a proper nap after the show. . 

OWEN: That sounds like a great idea, I’d love a nap–

EVERETT: Did you hear that I got to drop a bucket of cold water on Ryan? 

OWEN: I did, that was the highlight of my day, to be honest. 

EVERETT: Mine too. 

RYAN: Guys, I’m right here, I can hear everything you’re saying.
OWEN: Wanna rock some trivia, E? 

EVERETT: I will never pass on a chance to do trivia. 

OWEN: Alright, then step right up to the trivia throne. 

<SFX trivia intro> 

OWEN: We’ve been talking about mental health today and the impact of phones and screens can have. Devices and apps are designed to keep people engaged, always wanting more and more. What is a known hack to regulate your own screen time with your phone? Is it…

1. Enable all notifications and turn the sound all the way UP. 

2. Turn the brightness all the way up and hold the phone as close as possible, so you can see every pixel. 

3. Turn OFF the colors on your device, so it’s grayscaled

4. Only use your left pinky to navigate through your device.

EVERETT: Ooooh, this is a good one. I think I know the answer…I’m curious about D, using your pinky, because I’ve never tried that…but I’m going to guess: C. 

OWEN: The answer is…C! Turning off the colors on your device so it’s gray scaled, is an effective way to regulate your screen time. Our eyes are generally attracted to bright  and shiny things, so when you go grayscale it makes it much less attractive and fun. Even boring. 

EVERETT: Notifications and sounds are also ways devices can get your attention, so I like to have them turned off. 

RYAN: And the brightness on your device can make it hard to fall asleep, so it’s good to turn it down or into night mode at least an hour before bed, or when the sun goes down. 

OWEN: I haven’t tried the pinky method, which I just made up. <SFX YAWNS>  I might give it a go after that nap…

EVERETT: Great idea, thank you for having me!

OWEN: Thank you for stopping by! 

INT. TEN NEWS STUDIO

PAM: How you feeling, Ry? 

RYAN: Better…but I think I’m gonna go fully analog for the next 48 hours, and not do any screens. And then work on better habits and limits after that. 

PAM: That sounds smart and incredibly responsible of you…what do you want to do instead of screens?

RYAN: I’m so glad you asked. I was thinking we could start at the bowling alley, followed by a pickup game of capture the flag at the park? And we’ll definitely be hungry so we’ll obviously need a pizza tour followed by an ice cream adventure. I’d like to try at least two different flavors of ice cream and three different kinds of pizza. 

PAM: That sounds like a tall order, but honestly, very do-able. I’m in. 

RYAN: YES! We should do Ten News Snaps before we go.

PAM: And before that, a quick note for the grownups…
<AD BREAK>

RYAN: Time for Ten News Snaps!

PAM: An unnamed Ten’er said, “I LOVE THIS PODCAST!! Ryan, do a Nintendo Switch 2 episode again and here’s some support…” and then they left three butterflies…

RYAN: KJDNG:OIEWHGPOAIGHJ BLEAH! I’m going to ignore the butterflies you sent and focus on the fact that you want another Switch 2 episode… The next Nintendo Switch 2 announcement will be on April 2nd, so I’ll definitely do a special report after that…!

PAM: And two extra notes for the grown-ups, you can now get ad-free versions of our episodes when you join the Ten’ers Club on our website. 

RYAN: And if you want to help support the Ten News, you can make a tax-deductible donation at the link in our show notes. The whole team thanks you for your support!

PAM: “The Ten News” is a co-production of Small But Mighty Media and Next Chapter Podcasts, and part of the Airwave Podcast Network.

RYAN: The Ten News creative team is being mindful about their device use and spending quality time with their friends and fam and includes Tracey Not a Crooks, Adam the Great Bambino Bernard, Brian Not Ryan Douglas and Carson Not So Harry Potter. Big thanks to Owen, Not Slowin Down for Anybody. 

PAM: Our Production Director is Jeremiah Tittle, and our Executive Producers are Donald Not Dim But Albright and show creator Tracy Takes the Leeds Kaplan. I’m Pamela Kirkland.   

RYAN: And I’m Ryan Willard, thanks for listening to this Ten News Deep Dive.