How Does Technology Affect Your Health? The Good, the Bad, and Tips for Use

 How Does Technology Affect Your Health? The Good, the Bad, and Tips for Use

 

All manner of technology  around us. From our personal laptops, tablets, and phones to behind-the-scenes technology that furthers medicine, science, and education.

Technology is here to stay, but it’s always morphing and expanding. As each new technology enters the scene, it has the potential to improve lives. But, in some cases, it also has the potential to negatively affect physical and emotional health.

Read on as we take a look at a few possible negative effects of technology and provide tips on healthier ways to use it.

Digital eye strain 

According to the American Optometric Association (AOA), prolonged use of computers, tablets, and cellphones can lead to digital eye strain.

Symptoms of digital eye strain may include:

blurred vision

dry eyes

headaches

neck and shoulder pain

Contributing factors are screen glare, bad lighting, and improper viewing distance.

The AOA recommends the 20-20-20 rule to ease eye strain. To follow this rule, try to take a 20-second break every 20 minutes to look at something that’s 20 feet away.

Musculoskeletal problems

When you use a smartphone, the chances are that you’re holding your head in an unnatural forward-leaning position. This position puts a lot of stress on your neck, shoulders, and spine.

A small 2017 studyTrusted Source found a clear association between self-reported addiction to smartphone use and neck problems.

An earlier study found that among teens, neck-shoulder pain and low back pain rose during the 1990s at the same time that the use of information and communication technology was increasing.

Overuse of technology can also lead to repetitive strain injuries of the fingers, thumbs, and wrists.

If you’re feeling the pain of technology, you can take the following steps to reduce these issues:

take  constant breaks to stretch

create an ergonomic workspace

maintain proper posture while using your devices

Sleep problems

Technology in the bedroom can interfere with sleep in a number of ways.

A 2015 study demonstrated that exposure to the blue light that devices emit can suppress melatonin and interrupt your circadian clock. Both of these effects can make it harder to fall asleep and result in you being less alert in the morning.

Having electronic devices in the bedroom places temptation at your fingertips, and it can make switching off more difficult. That, in turn, can make it harder to drift off when you try to sleep.

Emotional problems

Using social media can make you feel more connected to the world. But, comparing yourself to others can leave you feeling inadequate or left out.

A recent study looked at the social media use of more than 1,700 people between the ages of 19 and 32. The researchers found that those with high social media use felt more socially isolated than those who spent less time on social media.

A 2011 cross-sectional surveyTrusted Source of high school students in Connecticut found that internet use was problematic for about 4 percent of the participants.

The researchers said that there might be an association between problematic internet use and depression, substance use, and aggressive behavior. They also noted that high school boys, who, according to the researchers, tend to be heavier users of the internet, may be less aware of these problems.

Negative effects of technology on kids

The findings of a 2014 studyTrusted Source suggest that even after factoring out junk food and exercise, technology appears to affect the health of children and teens.

બીન સરકારી અનુદાનિત માધ્યમિક અને ઉચ્ચત્તર માધ્યમિક માં ખાલી જગ્યાની વિગતો મોકલવા બાબત લેટેસ્ટ પરિપત્ર

The researchers used a broad definition of screen time that included:

television

video games

phones

tech toys

They conducted the simple correlational study using an anonymous online survey. The study authors concluded that parents and caregivers should help children learn to reduce overall screen time.

According to the Mayo Clinic, unstructured playtime is better for a child’s developing brain than electronic media. At 2 years old, children can benefit from some screen time, but it shouldn’t replace other important learning opportunities, including playtime.