Nowadays, using smartphones has become a common habit of the whole community. Even children, even a few years old, are given phones by their parents. The technology boom brings many benefits but also has many potential risks to health. Experts have shown that using the phone incorrectly will have a negative impact on both physical and mental health. This situation, if prolonged, will reduce the quality of your life. So, let’s learn about the harmful effects of using smartphones through the following article with YouMed!
1. The explosion of smartphones
The role of smartphones in today’s 4.0 life is undeniable. Smartphones help us communicate, work, study, and entertain. Smartphones are upgraded every day, and prices are getting cheaper. The rate of smartphone usage as well as the frequency of use is increasing. Since the development of social networks, especially Facebook, it has attracted a large number of young people to use phones.
However, using the phone too much will cause psychological and physical problems . These are problems that affect the brain, eyes, musculoskeletal system, obesity, depression, etc. These problems may not be life-threatening. However, over time, it will affect your daily life, work, and social interactions. From there, your quality of life will decline severely.
Therefore, knowing the negative effects of using smartphones too much is very important. From there, you will have the habit of using smartphones in a really smart way!
2. Eye damage from using smartphones too much
When you are glued to your smartphone, you often neglect to protect your eyes. The negative effects on your eyes can be due to:
- Looking at the phone screen for too long.
- Lying down watching phone.
- View phone in low light, in the dark.
Common eye problems are:
- Dry eyes.
- Eye strain.
- Blurred vision or red eyes.
- Myopia, astigmatism.
These problems can lead to severe vision loss. This is especially dangerous for children.
3. Harmful effects of using smartphones: Causes insomnia
We often have the habit of surfing Facebook, reading newspapers… on our phones before going to bed. This can bring you joy. But it is especially harmful to your body. And is one of the most common causes of insomnia.
Do you know why? Because the phone screen emits blue light, which inhibits the production of melatonin hormone in the brain. This is the body’s sleep regulator. From there, the body’s sleep and circadian rhythm are disrupted.
So instead of scrolling through your phone before bed, read a light book. This will not only help you sleep better but also broaden your knowledge.
4. Causes damage to the musculoskeletal system
When you are engrossed in using your phone, you will not notice that your posture is completely wrong. Some examples include:
- The phone is placed below eye level, so the neck is often bent down. This type of use causes the neck to bend forward. You know, this will put a huge burden on the cervical spine. In the long run, it will cause neck pain, shoulder pain, cervical spine degeneration… Cervical spine degeneration can affect and compress the nerves, which is very dangerous.
- Sitting posture with a curved back, crooked back. Sitting in the wrong posture for a long time will have a bad effect on the spine. Possible problems include back pain, scoliosis, spinal degeneration. Children who are at the age of bone development and have these problems are especially serious.
- Repetitive movements of the fingers in an awkward position. Initial symptoms may be just a feeling of fatigue and discomfort. More severe symptoms may include brief, unnoticed pain. Over time, the pain becomes chronic, reducing mobility. Tendonitis is also not uncommon.
- Holding your phone for long periods of time can affect many joints in your body. For example, your shoulders, elbows, wrists, and finger joints.
So, pay attention to your posture when using your phone!
5. Skin problems, infections
Did you know that smartphone screens contain a lot of bacteria? According to experts, there are 20 times more bacteria on a phone screen than on a toilet seat. Touching your phone and then touching your skin or handling food can potentially lead to infection.
6. Causes depression and anxiety
Radiation from smartphones can cause stress on the brain. From there, you may feel nervous and anxious. Using the phone too much makes you withdraw from society. Especially the dangers from social networks can easily make you feel hurt and isolated. Children are especially vulnerable and vulnerable.
7. Obesity is a harmful effect of using smartphones
People who spend a lot of time using their phones will have less physical activity. The body will become sluggish, inactive, and prone to obesity. Obesity will lead to many health problems. Some of which are:
- Cardiovascular disease.
- Atherosclerosis.
- Hyperlipidemia.
- Osteoarthritis.
- Diabetes
A study found that children who used smartphones for more than five hours a day had a 43% increased risk of obesity. The reason is that children who are “addicted” to mobile devices exercise less and have a less healthy diet.
8. Behavioral disorders, memory loss
Children who spend a lot of time on their phones are prone to attention deficit disorder or hyperactivity. In particular, if the content on the phone is not controlled, it will have a negative impact on children. Violent, aggressive, and offensive content can cause children to change their behavior and personality.
Using smartphones too much can lead to neurological or brain diseases, such as memory loss.
9. Reduces sperm quality
Most people have the habit of keeping their phones in their pockets, especially men. However, men’s health can be affected by this habit. Because radiation waves will adversely affect sperm quality. This can increase the rate of infertility in men.
10. Using your phone too much hinders social integration
Smartphones have always had a huge attraction for many people, especially children. This makes children today only like to stay at home, do not want to go out and interact with people. Children often love to interact with colorful games on their phones. They often forget about their peers. This is also the reason why many teenagers find it difficult to integrate into society when they step out into the real world.