Ringing Up the Danger — Is Your Mobile Phone Killing You?
Not only is it dangerous to use your phone while doing other things (driving, for instance), there are other side effects of constant attachment to your mobile devices.
Americans Love Their Gadgets
91% of adults have a cell phone (1)
55% of adults have a smartphone (1)
32% of adults own an e-reader (1)
42% of adults own a tablet computer (1)
Health Effects of Gadget Use
While the jury is still out on whether or not your smartphone can give you cancer, there are some harmful side effects that have been proven, particularly for those who use their mobile phones frequently: (2)
Dry eyes
Tense neck muscles
Tense shoulder muscles
Tense facial muscles
Headaches
Sore eyes
Blurry vision
Depleted melatonin, which can affect sleep patterns
Dizziness
Sore hands and forearms from texting
Hearing damage from use of earbuds
Nomophobia, the fear of having to go without your cell phone
Phantom cell phone vibration syndrome, feeling a buzzing as if a new notification has arrived when it hasn’t
67% of mobile phone users say they check their phone even if they haven’t noticed it ringing or vibrating (1)
44% of users have slept with their phone next to their bed to ensure they didn’t miss calls, texts or other updates (1)
29% of cell owners say they can’t imagine living without their phones (1)
Keep Yourself Healthy
Here are ways to combat the negative effects of overuse of technology: (2)
Take breaks from staring at a screen every 20 minutes or so
Do neck stretches
Avoid reading on smartphones for long periods of time
SOURCES
1. http://www.pewinternet.org
2. http://www.bostonglobe.com