Cell phones and their negative effect on people

Cell phones have been one of the most innovative inventions of the world since it was first created 45 years ago, on April 3, 1973, by a Motorola employee Martin Cooper. They are convenient devices because they make communicating with others quick and easy. Cell phones have just about anything. They have games, GPS, and instant research all at the click of a button but is all the hype worth being detrimental to your health. There are many downsides to cell phones such as insomnia, eye problems, back problems, and increased prices (social skill decrease). The cons of cell phones definitely outweigh the pros.

The regular use of cell phones is one the of the most common causes of insomnia. Studies show that cell phone use before bedtime worsens the sleep for the user. This is because using cell phones before bed makes our bodies take longer to fall asleep. Light exposure before bed is known to activate you. Which can throw your bodies sleep schedule off and jeopardize the amount of sleep you get. Also, the bright lights from your cell phone affects your body by suppressing your melatonin making it hard for you to fall and stay asleep.

Likewise, sleeping with a cell phone near you at night can wake you up mid rest because of its abrupt alerts. About 72 percent of children ages six to seventeen sleep with at least one electronic device in their bedroom. This leads to getting less sleep on school nights compared to other students. The difference can add up to almost an hour per night. Cell phones can really do a number on your night of sleep, but they do not only affect your body at night. The lack of sleep will have an impact on you throughout the day. Insomnia is known to cause psychological issues. It can influence your mood, motivation, energy, and irritability.

Insomnia and lack of sleep are not the only negative effects cell phones have on health. Eye problems are regularly associated with over usage of mobile devices. Continuous hours of looking at a phone screen can cause eye irritation and blurred vision. The blue lights in cell phones and other electronics devices emit are known to cause retina damage over time. Another common problem is dryness of the eyes from staring at the screen too long without blinking for longer periods of time than normal. Cell phones can be detrimental to eyes as well as your back and neck. Constant cell phone use causes bad posture. People tend to not notice but when you’re on your phone your neck is slightly forward. This can cause spinal issues and other neck problems mainly because your neck isn’t in the strongest position to support the weight of your head.

Slouching is another common bad posture of a constant cell phone user. It increases stress on our neck and pressure on our spine. Many people may not know this but being in a slumped or hunched back position like sure can cause respiratory problems. Slouching can also affect a person’s memory and how much information one can retain compared to a person sitting in a upright position. Studies show that a person in a slouching position retains less information then a person in an upright position.

Conclusion/closing

Cell phones can be harmful and detrimental to your body and your health without you even knowing it. Although cell phones are helpful they can cause physical and mental issues that can lead to more permanent issues over time. Cell phones are not all bad, but it is good to take 20-minute breaks in between you looking at your phone screen to stretch your muscles and relax your eyes.