6 ways your mobile phone affects your body and mind
It can be hard to switch off your mobile phone, but there are benefits for your health if you decide to do so.
1. It can keep you safe
First, some good news. Your phone can keep you safer.
A study in the Journal of Emergency Medicine that analysed emergency dispatches over an 11-year period revealed that 137 more lives were saved per 100,000 patients when people called emergency services from a mobile phone rather than from a landline.
They can be pretty handy in a pinch. The mobile phone can also be a bane, both to yourself and others.
2. It keeps you from focusing
When you are awake, a single buzz signalling a new notification on your phone can weaken your ability to focus on a task, researchers at Florida State University have found.
Switch your phone to “do not disturb” mode to remove the distraction.
3. It makes you achy
People now spend more than five hours a day swiping, typing and tapping – and feeling achy because of it all.
“Selfie elbow” is a strain injury caused by holding your elbow at an extreme angle, and roughly 85,000 people a month search for “texting thumb” and similar terms on Google.
4. Risk of cancer is low
Radiation exposure, long thought to be a risk for heavy-duty phone users, is probably not a significant concern.
Smartphones do emit radiation, but most scientific evidence has not linked the use of a mobile phone to cancer.
One draft study found that exposing male lab rats to the highest levels allowed for mobile phones was linked to one type of rare tumor in the tissues surrounding nerves in the heart.
If you’re worried, use earbuds or a headset when you talk on your phone.
5. It hinders your memory
Snapping a pic with your smartphone may also hinder your memory.
On a test after a visit to an art museum, students were less likely to remember objects they had taken photos of.
“As soon as you hit ‘click’ on that camera, it’s as if you’ve outsourced your memory,” says psychologist Linda Henkel.
6. 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.