Smartphones are wonderful things as they help us do so much and help us connect with so many people. Yet that is one of the problems with them; because they are so helpful, they can become a distraction or, worse, an addiction. It’s a good idea to shut them off completely once in a while, to go outside without them, and to limit their use. Here are the reasons why.
They Are Bad For Your Eyes
When our eyes are working well, we often take them for granted. However, too much cellphone use can cause damage to them and reduce our ability to focus on things in the distance. We are becoming so used to looking at screens close up that our eyes are adapting. It’s clever, but it’s not healthy. It’s not just the distance either. The HEV light that is emitted by smartphones can damage retinal tissue.
They Are Dirty
Think of all the places our cell phones go during the day. Think of how many times we – and sometimes other people – touch them. They are covered in bacteria. Then we put them close to our mouths and ears. A study showed that about 13 percent of cell phones have fecal matter on them, and 16 percent carry e. Coli bacteria. It’s important to wash your hands regularly, but even so, our phones will still become dirty.
They Cause Neck And Back Pain
Cellphones cause so much damage to our necks and backs that there is a new medical term for the pain – ‘text neck.’ Heads are heavy things, and when we move about with them lowered (to look at a phone screen, for example), we put a huge amount of pressure on our cervical spine. It can be as much as 60 pounds. If you are experiencing this kind of pain, you’ll need a chiropractor, and you can find one on echiropractor.org. Remember, though, once you have had your back and neck pain made better, reduce the amount of time you spend texting and browsing on your cell phone, or it will start up again.
They Cause Sore Hands
Along with ‘text neck’ there is another new term; ‘text claw.’ This is used to describe the cramping pain that holding a cell phone for long periods of time can cause. The thumb is the most vulnerable digit because it is what is used most when we are texting. You might experience tendon issues and inflammation. One way to stop this from happening is to use a stylus instead, but the best way to stop the pain and repair the damage done is to shut off the phone and stop using it for a while.
They Stop You From Sleeping
That temptation to take one last look at your phone before you settle down to sleep is often overwhelming. However, having a screen emitting blue light close to your face can cause problems with your circadian rhythm (your natural sleep cycle), and that means you won’t get the right type or amount of sleep as you should. Lack of sleep will make you grouchy and short-tempered, plus it’s bad for your health; those who sleep less are more vulnerable to heart attacks, strokes, and diabetes amongst other things.
