Although cell phones are useful, fun, and necessary for our work and even personal lives, their excessive use carries several risks of developing health problems. According to a study of the University of Arizona (United States)telephone dependency may be a predictive sign of depression.
The study was based on a survey involving 346 students between the ages of 18 and 20, who were asked to use a four-point scale to rate statements such as “I panic when I can’t use my phone”, and various questions about how lonely or sad they feel. The investigation focused on young people, since it is a generation that has grown access to cell phones and is in a stage of great emotional and mental vulnerability.
In addition, according to a study published by the psychiatry journal BMC Psychiatrist, the use of cell phones is related to depression: the light of the device affects the circadian rhythm, that is, the natural cycles of the body. This causes sleep to cost more, than sleep quality not be so high, and can even cause insomnia. Poor sleep generates a propensity for depression, anxiety and other negative emotions.
But those are not the only negative effects of excessive cell phone use. Prolonged exposure of the eyes to light from cell phones can damage the retinas of the eyes, according to research from the University of Toledo published in the journal Scientific Reports. In addition, it can produce Eye fatigue by tiredness, reproducing blurred vision, headache or occasional oble vision. On this, the American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends taking regular breaks with the phone to avoid eyestrain and headaches.
Posture may also be affected. The muscles of the lower back, neck and shoulders they can be affected by so many hours of looking at the cell phone. An adult’s head weighs 10 to 12 pounds in the neutral position, but as it leans forward, the pressure on the spine is increasing And neck tension can build up to joint pain, particularly severe in people with bone conditions such as osteoporosis.
As if that were not enough, a study by the National Center for Biotechnology Information discovered that cell phones contain an average of 17,032 bacterial organismssince by accompanying its owners everywhere it is a breeding ground for thousands of microorganisms.
It is not a matter of being scared or alarmed: telephones can be useful or a source of entertainment, organization and information. precisely for this reason, data encourages responsible practices and measures, limit the amount of exposure and take into account health factors that may be disturbed by their use.
by RN
