What Are the Health Risks of Technology?

Needless to say, the importance of technology is ever-increasing and practically inevitable. As essential as these devices are, they have their side effect. There`s a disturbing rise in addiction and misuse of technology lately, particularly with mobile phones and video games. What are the ugly sides of this trend? Let`s see.

12 Health Effects of Technology

Poor Sleep

Did you know that using your phone in bed while trying to sleep will keep you awake longer and affect the quality of your sleep when you eventually do? The blue light that screens emit inhibits the production of melatonin, the hormone that controls your circadian rhythm, also known as the body’s internal clock. Also, insufficient and low-quality sleep can cause migraines, depression, weight gain, high blood pressure, fatigue, weakened immunity, poor memory, and other health challenges. To get sufficient and quality sleep and enjoy overall fitness, you`re advised to be in a gadget-free mode 30 minutes before bedtime.

Eye Defects

Prolonged stares at gadgets can affect the eye and cause squinting and straining of muscles, which will eventually lead to headaches, dry eyes, and blurry vision. Limit the time you spend on gadgets and adopt eye care methods to protect your sight.

Risk of Obesity

Technology has made life easier. We no longer have to walk down the road to get the pizza we can now order, neither do we have to travel miles to see friends who we can have long hours of video chats with. People now sit for so long chatting and surfing the net. Exercising is fast declining, and more people are being at risk of obesity, hypertension, stroke, heart attack, cancer, coronary artery disease, coronary vascular disease, and kidney problems.

Isolation

Technologies such as social media that are designed to bring people together have a way of isolating them if used wrongly or excessively. A study found that people aged 19–32 years who used social media the most are more than three times at risk of feeling socially isolated than those who don`t use it as often. To reduce the risk and feeling of isolation, try limiting your stay time on social media apps.

Head and Neck Pain

Gadgets are getting smaller, and a number of people sit with their neck bent and head tilted down to use their gadgets. This puts them at risk of Anterior Head Syndrome and damaged vertebra muscular tension. They may also suffer compressed and degenerative discs in the back, as well as headaches, numbness, and neck pain. To avoid these conditions, take your gadgets to eye level instead of bending your head so low to look into them.

Skin Damage

High-Energy Visible (HEV) light, which is the blue light that gadgets emit can penetrate the skin and damages collagen, required for skin, hair, and nail health. HEV also worsens pigmentation problems such as melasma, which is common among pregnant women.

Depression and Anxiety

People who engage in more positive interactions and receive social support on social media platforms have lower levels of depression and anxiety, however, those who have more negative social interactions online are at a higher risk of depression and anxiety due to social comparison and some other factors.

Risk of ADHD in Children

There are more cases of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in children due to the increased use of gadgets, particularly shortly before bedtime. This results in delayed and shorter sleep, among other health challenges. These children also receive less sunlight because they`re usually indoor. This, too, increases their risk of ADHD.

Decreased Sperm Count

Keep your laptop so close to your crotch will eventually cause some decrease in your sperm count. You also stand the risk of decreased sperm count from the radiation that emits WiFi, if your laptop is close to your crotch.

Laptop Headaches

Staring at the computer screen for too long can cause severe headaches, and is particularly unhealthy for people with a history of migraine. Consider spending less time on your laptop and dimming its light to protect your sight and reduce your chances of suffering migraines.

Less Effectiveness

A number of people assume they multitask more with the advancement in and more accessibility to technology. In actual fact, they are task-shifting without knowing it. So you find people talking on the phone while driving, texting while on a conference call, and tweeting while watching TV. This is far from being effective because your performance level drops if you stop an activity to pick up another. You will spend more time trying to switch tasks, and not be as focused as you`d have been if you remained on one task. Over time, this affects performance so disturbingly.

Hearing Loss

Wear and tear on the ears is normal, however, we tend to speed up the process these days. About half of college students in urban settings risk hearing loss due to the consistent use of earbuds with loud music.

22 Health Tips on Safe Use of Technology

These tips will teach you to put your gadgets to better use for better health and more productivity.

• Limit your exposure to loud music.
• Text with both hands to avoid overburdening one appendage.
• Avoid sending texts all the time so you don`t hurt your hand, muscles, and neck tendons, and nerves
• Rest your arms on a table while texting to relieve your neck and shoulders.
• Use every opportunity you have to walk, stand, or bend over to pick something up instead f sitting all day in front of your computer or TV.
• Decrease your computer’s blue glow at night to protect your eyes.
• Use a glare-reducing protective screen cover.
• Schedule 10 minutes each day to clear your mind and reset your thought process.
• Always make an effort to sit up straight while using gadgets. Aligning the vertebrae of your back is great for your entire posture. body benefits.
• Be sure to use a chair that contributes to good posture while sitting for long periods.
• Always examine your phone time and reduce it as much as possible.
• Apply the 20-20-20 rule to prevent eye strain. Every 20 minutes, take 20 seconds to look at something 20 feet away.
• Take meditation breaks to relieve stress and tension.
• Stop using all screens an hour before bed, and wear blue-light-blocking glasses whenever you look at screens in the evening.
• To use technology more intentionally, always ask yourself why you pick up your gadgets each time you do so.
• You may declare a phone-free day for yourself sometimes, or turn off frequent notifications that make you check your gadgets all the time.
• Watch funny and inspiring videos from time to time.
• Limit the number of times you check emails each day. Studies have found that people who check their work email only a few times a day experience less stress and more productivity than people who check theirs more often.
• Consider setting limits to your frequency of replying casual texts and social media notifications.
• Find more productive ways to use technology by joining people who share your interests in an online group.
• Create and publish stories, songs, videos, games, and other creative stuff to share with your friends to make yourself and them happy.
• Play games that build skills or teach you something new in a fun way.