Mobile phone technology is one of the defining technologies of the late 20th century and early 21st century. This technology has revolutionized communication and made Marshall McLuhan’s idea of a global village a reality. With internet technology, it’s now easier for people to stay connected. At an individual level, phones have become an integral part of life. Today, you can use your phone to shop, learn, talk to clients across the globe, socialize, keep fit, and so much more.
With phones becoming so important in life, there’s growing concerns over the health risks these devices can have. From phone addiction, risk of loss of hearing, poor concentration, promoting a sedentary lifestyle, to eyesight problems, the risks are diverse.
Read on and find some tips for healthy phone use.
1. Avoid Phone Use When Driving
Over the last two decades, research on road accidents continues to reveal a connection to phone use. Distracted driving is now one of the major causes of accidents and it’s something every driver should appreciate. When on your phone, you remove the focus from the road situation.
Your phone affects your reaction time in case of an incident leading to a high risk of accidents. It’s advisable to stop by the roadside if you have an important call to receive or you must text. This simple precaution can save you and other road users from devastating road accidents.
2. Don’t Wear Your Phone
If you’re not using your smartphone to read this, it’s highly likely that the device is in your pocket. The easiest way to carry a phone for a man is in a breast or trouser pocket. Some women wear their phones in bras while others use pockets. While this might look like the safest way to store your phone, it exposes you to serious health risks.
Erratic radiation is a Class B carcinogen which increases the risk of breast cancer. For men, storing a phone in their pockets increases the risk of infertility. For enhanced safety, keep your phone as far away from your body as possible.
3. Buy a Radiation Protective Case
Mobile phone radiation exposure should be a big concern among phone users. Unfortunately, most people do not know about the risk involved, despite the warnings provided by phone manufacturers. If you always hold your phone very close to your face, you increase exposure to radiation frequency (RF). The specific absorption rate (SAR) offers from one device to the other and it’s good to confirm this when buying your phone.
The manufacturers provide the exposure risks and advise on how to hold or wear your phone. Using a radiation protective case makes it easier to use your phone with little RF exposure. It’s also advisable not to hold very long calls to reduce exposure.
4. Protect Your Eyesight
One of the biggest health hazards in phone use is damage to the eyes. If you look around you right now, you’ll probably find everyone looking at their smartphones and that includes you. Now, this is the same habit you’ll find at home, even for kids.
The phone fonts and images are small, and this forces you to strain. For mobile gamers, the situation is even worse because they blink little as they play. You can protect yourself by reminding yourself to blink a lot of time, reduce the glare of the screen, adjust the brightness level, increase the text size and always hold the phone further away from your eyes.
5. Protect Your Hearing
Smartphones are now the main entertainment devices. Most people use these devices to listen to music, watch movies, stream content, watch live sport, and so much more. The sobering reality is that your smartphone can damage your hearing if you’re not careful about it.
Using your earphones for a long time can lead to problems with your hearing due to electromagnetic waves. Avoid continuously listening to content from your phone. Take breaks when using your phone and avoid holding the device too close to your ears. If you have a diagnosis of hearing loss, start learning about coping with hearing loss instead of raising volume when using your phone.
6. Create No Phone Zones at Home
Phones have become a disruptive feature at home. While people used to long for dinner time to enjoy conversation, the smartphone has taken over this time. As a parent, you have to appreciate the damage uncontrolled phone use can cause your family.
Creating phone-free zones in your home is the perfect way to revive the family bond. Such space can be in the kitchen or the living room to allow people to talk and enjoy good times together.
7. Take a Break from Social Media
If you’re always on social media, you’ll agree that the fast-paced nature of these platforms can drain you. There’s so much to follow and sometimes your life almost comes to a stop. At times, it feels like you’re not living your life but living other people’s lives in proxy.
This is when a social media cleanse becomes necessary. This is a break from social media to give yourself time to breathe. You get an opportunity to look inwards and enjoy your life. There’s so much happening around you that you’re not aware of. For the sake of your mental health, this much needed break comes in handy.
8. Create a Phone Use Schedule
The biggest problem about phone use today is overdependence on these gadgets. While you need your phone to complete so much in life, you need a schedule to avoid disruption. For instance, you shouldn’t stay on social media throughout the day or keep checking texts and emails every other minute. Create a realistic schedule for your smartphone use and stick to it. This boosts your health and wellbeing by reducing the fatigue, anxiety, and other negative effects of phone addiction.
Your phone is a handy assistant that helps with so much in your life. However, it can also affect your life negatively and ruin your physical and mental wellbeing. With these tips, you can finally get back control of your life and stop over reliance on these devices. It’s a big step towards improving your health and wellbeing.
What other ways have your used your phone in a healthy way? Let me know in the comments below!
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