Can you imagine a modern man without a smartphone? Surely not. People spend 7-9 hours looking at their phone screens on average. We eat, sleep, read, work, and walk with smartphones. Because of this, thousands of opinions have been formed about the impact of gadgets on human health.
We have collected the most common of them and, together with experts, analyzed which ones are true and which are fiction.
We spend a lot of time on our smartphones. Whether it's comparing the best casinos in India, video games, dragon vs tiger winning tricks, or our favorite pancake recipes, we look at it all most often on our smartphones. So can it do us any harm?
The most common myth about the harm of the use of a smartphone are as follows:
- The smartphone has a detrimental effect on vision;
- does not give you a good and immediate sleep;
- destructively affects memory.
Only experts can explain which of these is true and which is fake.
Blue light from the screen spoils your eyesight and disturbs your mind.
What the Net says
Too much blue light from a smartphone screen is terrible for the retina. And after 55 years of age, with frequent interaction with gadgets, you can even go blind. In addition, because of the blue glow worsens sleep.
Opinion of an expert
The primary source of blue light is the sun. Exposure to large amounts of ultraviolet light increases the risk of eye disease. Exposure to blue light from gadgets is much less, and most modern screens are safe for the eyes.
During the day, blue light affects circadian rhythms, waking us up and stimulating our mood and mental alertness. However, in the evening and at night, an excess of blue light reduces the level of the sleep hormone melatonin, making it more difficult to fall asleep. That is why putting away all electronic devices 1-2 hours before sleep is recommended.
Smartphones emit life-threatening radiation.
What the Net says
Tales of radiation from our smartphones seem to be as old as time. But they are still relevant and scare many users. They write different things: it affects fertility and the same vision, and even the emergence and development of cancer.
Opinion of an expert
Smartphones don't emit radiation - they emit electromagnetic waves that are not harmful to health. Nevertheless, they are and always will be around us. Just like, for example, electromagnetic waves from outer space. We don't wear tinfoil hats to protect ourselves from them!
Reading from a smartphone screen in transportation is terrible for your eyesigh
What the Net says
People severely damage their eyesight when in transport, trying to kill time, and start reading books from smartphone screens. The text constantly shakes, and the screen's brightness tenses the eyes. The result is that your eyes tire quickly, and your vision blurs.
Opinion of an expert
People who read in a moving vehicle often experience motion sickness symptoms: dizziness, nausea, and headache - but there is no harm to vision.
Constant smartphone use worsens posture
What the Net says
With constant interaction with a cell phone, people constantly lower their heads. As a result, and at an inclination of 60 degrees, the neck generally receives a load equal to a bag weighing 27 kg!
Opinion of an expert
Because of the continuous use of the smartphone, the posture deteriorates. Moreover, the physiological cervical kyphosis (curvature of the spine) increases. Not only the back suffers from this: the person begins to experience headaches and tension in the body.
A dark subject is better for the eyes than a light one
What the Net says
If you lie in the dark and use a smartphone, a dark screen theme can reduce the strain on your eyes.
Opinion of an expert
A dark theme, or night mode, reduces eye strain. But there is no scientific evidence for this. The purpose of the dark way is to give a smoother contrast between the screen and the environment. So it is relevant if you watch or read from your smartphone while sitting in a dark room. Experts recommend activating the dark mode to reduce the effects of blue light, but it is better to put the phone away for the best impact and total relaxation of the eyes 1-2 hours before sleep.
Smartphone use at night leads to depression
What the Net says
Viewing posts on social networks before going to bed leads to several psychological problems, including depression.
Opinion of an expert
The lack of regular sleep leads to depression. And rest is ruined by people looking at their smartphone screens before bed.
Smartphones can cause temporary blindness
What the Net says
Science has known several cases of people who have spent much time on a smartphone going blind. So far, an exact explanation for this phenomenon has yet to be found. But there is a suggestion that blindness comes from people looking at smartphone screens with only one eye, lying in the darkness on the side of a pillow or blanket covering the second eye. Because of this, one eye gets used to the night and the other to the bright light. When the smartphone is turned off, the other eye is lost in the dark and goes blind.
Scientists are frightened: the further, the more such cases will occur because the brightness of the screens is only getting higher, and people are spending more and more time with smartphones.
Opinion of an expert
Several cases of unilateral transient painless vision loss associated with smartphone use have been described in the scientific literature. Examination of these patients revealed no ocular pathology. The primary hypothesis is that when lying on the side, one eye is blocked, for example, by a pillow, and subsequently adapts to darkness faster. In contrast, the other eye exposed to the bright screen adapts to night more slowly after the device is turned off, which the person perceives as blindness in one eye.
To prevent a recurrence of this condition, it is recommended that the smartphone be used in bright rooms or so that the screen affects both eyes.
Frequent smartphone scrolling leads to finger numbness
What the Net says
Because of the monotonous movements of frequent scrolling or typing, so-called carpal tunnel syndrome (or finger numbness) can develop.
Opinion of an expert
It's true. If you lie down with your phone: leaning on your elbows causes compression of the ulnar nerve in the muscle canal, followed by ulnar nerve tunnel syndrome or finger numbness.
Notifications spoil long-term memory
What the Net says
An endless stream of notifications constantly distracts us from our tasks and thoughts, preventing us from concentrating. Switching from our jobs to the sounds of the phone and reading messages, we can focus less on something in particular. Because of this, long-term memory suffers greatly: the head cannot keep what we need to remember for a long time.
Opinion of an expert
It is true that notifications are distracting and make it hard to focus on one thing. Of course, messages are distracting, and one forgets to do something meaningful. But smartphones certainly don't affect long-term memory.
