Technology has made all our lives a lot easier and more comfortable. It has helped us simplify a lot of our daily activities. But it’s not without its drawbacks, of course. The more dependent we are on technology, the lazier we’ve become. And it’s no surprise that this tech-savvy of ours is making us pile on pounds like nobody’s business. Here are some of the ways in which they’ve been making fat.
1 Smartphones are increasing BMI in children
New research from Penn State College of Medicine shows that children who spend time on their phones late at night are at increased risk of a higher body mass index. According to the researchers, spending time on the smartphone cuts into their sleep time, causing metabolic issues in children.
2 Wi-fi signals are destroying sperm quality in men
In what seems like a something out of men’s nightmares, wi-fi signals were shown to damage sperm! Scientists at the Nascentis Medicina Reproductiva in Argentina published a study in Fertility and Sterility. They took sperm samples of 29 healthy men and placed half the batch under a laptop and the other half elsewhere. Twenty five percent of the sperm cells in the semen sample placed under the lap were damaged and immobile.
3 Texting is hurting our fingers
Next time you want to share a juicy piece of gossip with a friend, pick up the phone and make a call or better, meet them in person. Nonstop or excessive texting has been associated with joint arthritis. Mobile phone use has been held responsible for the increased bone and cartilage-related ailments in users. Doctors have named the phenomenon ‘Texting thumb.’
4 Cybersickness has become a legitimate thing
Drop those VR goggles and give yourself some rest. Compelling scene movements in your virtual reality system causes motion sickness and associated problems like nausea, vomiting, dizziness and headache.
5 Cell phones are giving us the ‘cell phone elbow’
When you spend way too much time texting, it’s not just your thumbs and fingers that are suffering. In order to type on your cellphone, you have you bend your elbow at an angle which causes nerve compression and pain. The ‘cell phone elbow’ is a condition wherein the ulnar nerve that passes through the elbow gets trapped or pinched when you keep your elbow bent for a long time.
6 Bright screens are attacking our eyes
Ever wondered why you feel fatigued after working on your computer for long hours. Staring at computer and cell phone screens for long hours can cause dry eyes, light sensitivity, double vision, fatigue and headache. Many people also have the habit of switching on their cell phones first thing when they wake up. All these habits are making your ophthalmologist’s cash registers ring.
7 Cell phones and laptops are messing with your posture
The use of smart phones, laptops and other devices are causing severe strain in the back and the neck. When you spend a lot of time looking at your smart phone screen, the pressure on your cervical spine increases. The constant stress on your muscles causes inflammation and damage. Overtime, this can cause poor posture and degeneration of the spine.
References:
Murphy, K. (2016). Is technology affecting our health?. Nursing made Incredibly Easy, 14(4), 44-52.
Ming, Z., Pietikainen, S., & Hänninen, O. (2006). Excessive texting in pathophysiology of first carpometacarpal joint arthritis. Pathophysiology, 13(4), 269-270.
Lo, W. T., & So, R. H. (2001). Cybersickness in the presence of scene rotational movements along different axes. Applied ergonomics, 32(1), 1-14.