Smartphone Addiction Is Worse Than You Think (But Here's How to Fix It)

Ben details that in his office, his phone is nearly always in airplane mode to avoid the constant radiation a phone emits when searching for signals. By using a USB-C to Ethernet adapter, the phone gets a stable internet connection without any wireless emission. He contrasts this with the typical habit of having phones on and in pockets all day, which he views as adding unnecessary biological stress. This practice sits alongside his broader EMF hygiene, which includes a full home assessment with a building biologist. He acknowledges that he isn’t the world’s leading expert on EMF, but he trusts the precautionary principle — especially given the VGCC mechanism he just explained — and recommends that listeners consider hardwiring their devices at least in their primary working environment.

Ben explains that this routine is his current regimen, which he combines with BFR cardio on the same days. He uses the ARX machine in his home gym, but emphasises that the same protocol can be replicated with many types of equipment. He values super slow training because after one all-out set, you’re done — no need to grind through multiple sets. He attributes his recent ~20lb muscle gain (while staying at 4% body fat) partly to the consistency of this routine and partly to his increased collagen and essential amino acid intake. The protocol is not just about building muscle; it’s part of a broader strategy to maintain strength and metabolic health without excessive wear and tear on the body.

Ben uses a Vasper machine, which integrates cooling, compression, and interval training, but he says you can get a similar effect with a simple set of BFR bands on an air bike or elliptical. He views this as a way to get the benefits of HIIT without the high impact of running, while also giving an additional muscle-building stimulus through metabolic stress. Combined with the super slow lifts, this constitutes his complete strength-and-conditioning protocol on training days, leaving other days for lighter core work and play.

Ben positions this suite of activities in direct contrast to the smartphone addiction study. He finds that when he’s engaged in playing guitar, memorising scripture, or competing in board games, his phone is a total afterthought — no dopamine craving. He explains that the guitar practice uses downloadable tabs (from a Paul Jacobs program) and scales, which exercises pattern recognition and motor skills. The Bible memorisation before sleep he believes helps programme the subconscious with positive material overnight. The family gaming (he recommends the website explodingkittens.com) forces rhetoric, logic, anticipation, and emotional regulation. He also notes racket sports like pickleball and tennis are great for brain lateralisation, but the evening ritual is what consistently replaces screen time. He stresses that while brain-training apps may have value, the analog approach delivers similar cognitive benefits without the EMF and dopamine pitfalls.

Ben spent a large segment analysing a new wave of rodent studies on aspirin and longevity. The studies found aspirin decreased iNOS (inducible nitric oxide synthase), which is associated with age-related inflammation and vascular dysfunction, and lowered MDA, a byproduct of lipid peroxidation. By blocking arachidonic acid conversion into prostaglandins, aspirin also reduces reactive oxygen species. While the rodent dose equivalent was about 8-10 grams per day — a dose usually reserved for rheumatoid arthritis — Ben notes that a low-dose baby aspirin (roughly one-tenth of that) may still exert protective effects. He adds that many doctors already use daily baby aspirin for cardiovascular protection, and that adding vitamin K could mitigate the primary risk (bleeding). He explicitly states he is not yet on this protocol but is planning to start, and he requests feedback from listeners who have experience with it.

After introducing the OneName Project and VGCC mechanism, Ben strongly recommends a practical, whole-house approach rather than just taking supplements like magnesium. He references a two-hour episode he recorded with building biologist Brian Hoyer, where they went through his own house to identify and fix EMF hot spots. He promises to link that episode in the show notes and stresses that the combination of knowledge and shielding is more reliable than hoping the body will adapt over generations.

The researchers showed participants pictures of turned-on phones, turned-off phones, and neutral images. After 72 hours without their devices, the dopamine- and serotonin-driven reward centres (nucleus accumbens) and anticipatory/decision-making regions showed heightened reactivity specifically to the ‘on’ phone images. Ben notes that this explains why leaving your phone behind causes panic and why moderation is so hard. He speculates that if the study were extended to a week or a month, the craving might eventually settle — for him personally, 4-5 days in the backcountry seems to be the threshold where the urge to use the phone finally disappears. He would like to see longer-term studies to see how long it takes for those dopamine centres to calm down.

The authors hypothesise that the cognitive challenge of learning and navigating unfamiliar technology (the “magnifying glass” puzzle of a new app) may act as a form of mental exercise, keeping the brain sharp. Alternatively, staying connected with family and friends via technology may reduce loneliness and social isolation, which are known risk factors for dementia. Ben brings in a parallel paper showing that music therapy — an evidence-based, analog practice involving playing instruments, singing, and moving to music — delivered over 16 sessions across 5 months significantly reversed mild to moderate cognitive decline in older adults. His take is that both digital novelty and rich analog experiences can protect the brain, but he personally chooses technology-free activities in the evening to get the cognitive benefits without the dopamine overstimulation from screens.

Ben explains that VGCC activation by microwave or low-frequency EMFs leads to an influx of calcium into cells. Normally the interior of a cell is slightly negatively charged; the calcium surge makes it more positive, disrupting neurotransmitter signalling, neuroendocrine hormone release, and overall nervous system and muscular skeletal function. This can manifest as anything from irritability and headaches to tinnitus and ADHD-like symptoms. While he admits there is still a lack of clear causal evidence in the literature, he points to this theory as the most biologically grounded explanation. He notes that magnesium, minerals, and proper hydration might offer some protection by stabilising calcium channels, but he believes the most effective strategy is a thorough home EMF assessment and targeted shielding — something he himself did with building biologist Brian Hoyer.

Ben describes two separate rodent studies. The first showed that aspirin markedly reduced iNOS expression; since elevated iNOS is a hallmark of ageing-related inflammation, decreasing it may explain the lifespan extension. iNOS (inducible nitric oxide synthase) is upregulated during inflammation and contributes to tissue damage, while the beneficial eNOS (endothelial NOS) keeps blood vessels dilated and healthy. Aspirin tips the balance away from iNOS. The second study measured malondialdehyde (MDA), a byproduct of lipid peroxidation. Aspirin decreased MDA and protected against LDL-induced endothelial damage, as well as hydrogen-peroxide-induced oxidative stress — effects that are likely due to aspirin’s ability to block the conversion of arachidonic acid into inflammatory prostaglandins, thereby reducing reactive oxygen species. While the rodent dose equivalent is a hefty 8-10 grams per day (like what’s used for rheumatoid arthritis), Ben notes that even a tiny baby aspirin may confer some of these benefits, and that vitamin K can be used concurrently to mitigate bleeding risk. He is personally considering starting a baby-aspirin protocol.