4 ways your mobile phone affects your body and mind
As mobile phones infiltrate nearly every aspect of our society, it can be easy to get overwhelmed and used to their constant presence. However, there are many ways that the devices impact your body and your mind.
1. It messes with your sleep
Scanning your phone right before bed can disturb your slumber.
The short-wavelength, bright blue light your device emits boosts your attention during the day, but at night the light can inhibit the production of melatonin, which helps you fall asleep.
To avoid that, make a habit of not using your phone for at least 30 minutes before you close your eyes.
2. It's not easy to put down
It would be easy to avoid issues caused by your phone by simply putting down your phone. The problem: it isn’t so easy.
That twinge of phone separation anxiety is real. In fact, Rosen says, detaching from your phone can cause your brain to release the stress hormone cortisol.
Of course, there are many phone apps (with calming names, such as Forest and Mute) to help you control your phone addiction.
Or you can just let the battery run down and forget about it!
3. It can be a hazard while walking
We all know that walking around town with your face in your phone can be dangerous, and there are studies that underline the point.
City pedestrians using their phones looked left and right less often and were more likely to be hit by a vehicle, according to a review of studies on distracted walking in the Journal of Traffic and Transportation Engineering.
In another small experiment, 94 percent of pedestrians who were using mobile phones to talk and text didn’t see free cash hanging from a tree. (That’s right, they walked right by a bunch of dollar bills.)
4. It hurts your eyes
Your phone can do a number on your eyes.
A study in the US found that about 60 percent of respondents experience digital eye strain symptoms such as dryness, irritation, blurred vision, eye fatigue and headaches.
Try blinking often, increasing font size and taking a break from screens every 20 minutes.
Written by Michelle Crouch. This article first appeared in Reader’s Digest. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, here’s our best subscription offer.