In this day and age, cell phones have become such a thing that you can’t keep your hands off them. You need it when you are in the washroom, you are scrolling through it even when you are in your office meeting.
The influence of mobile phones is so much that even when we are away from them for the slightest moment, we start feeling lost.
According to the PEW Research Center, 67 percent of smartphone owners have admitted to checking their phones for calls or messages when their phones didn’t vibrate or ring. This is one major sign of cell phone dependence and should serve as a warning to cell phone owners, as per the report.
As we are getting more and more dependent on phones, doctors and health experts maintain that over-dependence on phones can lead to adverse effects on our health.
Effect of phones on your health
Overuse of your cell phone or smartphone can lead to numerous health problems some of which include:
- Digital eye strain: Overuse of smartphones may lead to pain and discomfort and it can occur if you use your phone for more than two hours. Burn and itch in the eyes, blurred vision, eye fatigue, and headache are also some of the common side effects of phone overuse.
- Neck problems: This condition is also known ‘text neck’ and it refers to neck pain resulting from looking down at a cell phone or tablet for too long.
- Phones also put you at risk of more germs. According to a 2015 study by South University, 1 in 6 cell phones has fecal matter on phones. Moreover, E. coli bacteria, which can cause fever, vomiting, and diarrhea, is found on many phones. Studies also suggest that phones have been found to be contaminated with MRSA.
- Some preliminary studies have also revealed that cell phone radiation may decrease sperm count, sperm motility and viability.
- Phones also cause certain psychological effects like sleep disturbances, depression, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), anxiety and relationship issues.
A 2021 study published in Frontiers of Psychiatry, excessive smartphone use is associated with psychiatric, cognitive, emotional, medical and brain changes that should be considered by health and education professionals.
How to reduce the side effects of mobile phones?
To reduce the mobile side effects, you need to restrict ourselves from the excessive use of mobile phones and other wireless gadgets. You can also seek cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) which will help you in changing certain behavior patterns.
Try to these steps to reduce phone over-dependence:
- Remove time-consuming apps
- Change your settings
- Set your screen to grayscale
- Keep your phone out of sight.
