10 health risks caused due to prolonged smartphone use

In India, there are over 300 million smartphone users. The increase in the number of smartphone users is evident as the shipments have grown...

In India, there are over 300 million smartphone users. The increase in the number of smartphone users is evident as the shipments have grown by 18% in 2016.

Unsurprisingly, the smartphone usage has increased as these little devices keep users connected, updated and entertained. These can be used to track everything such as shopping lists, movie tickets, flight tickets, etc. With the multiple functionalities, smartphones have replaced address books, alarm clocks, cameras, and notepads to mention a few.
Though there are many perks of using smartphones, these incredible devices do have their own disadvantages too. Especially, if you use your smartphone for a long duration, then you need to know that the device will take a toll on your health. To make it clear to you, we have listed a few common health risks caused due to prolonged smartphone use.
source - GizBot

Disrupted Sleep
It is common to see people using a smartphone or tablet when they are in bed. The worrying fact is that the exposure to bright light at night will have harmful effects. It is said that the light exposure can suppress melatonin, the hormone that helps with the sleep timing.


Stress Buildup
Using a smartphone indicates that you are always available to attend calls, reply to messages, social media notifications and emails. This pushes your work timings further into the night. As the work gets prolonged, you tend to build by stress.


Eye Strain
The exposure to the blue light that is emitted by smartphone displays can damage the retina of your eye. The retinal damage might lead to macular degeneration that will cause loss of central vision. This will lead to the inability to see what is in front of you. You need to follow the 20-20-20 rule to limit the harmful effect on your eyes. Ever 20 minutes you need to take 20 seconds to focus on any object that is 20 feet away.


Text Neck
The spinal cord disorder that is caused due to over usage of smartphones is termed text neck. Usually, people bend their neck up to 60 degrees to text on a smartphone. This posture builds up the pressure on the neck.


Behavioral Issues
It is common for smartphone users to become aggressive if they don't use their phones for a considerable time. Some people do not let others to even take a look at their smartphones.


Loss of Focus
As smartphones let you stay connected to the social media all the time, it is common to get notifications from social networks, emails, etc. constantly. The frequent notifications are said to divert your focus and you might lose attention on what you were doing.


Cellphone Elbow
While you use your smartphone excessively, your arms' tendons are prone to overuse and this will result in inflammation that will lead to numbness and pain. It leads to a condition called cellphone elbow, which is an ailment that makes it tough to bend your elbow for a long time. It also results in tingling and numbness in the pinky and ring fingers.


Text Claw
Too much of smartphone use causes cramped fingers, muscle pain and wrist pain, thanks to continuous scrolling and texting. This causes inflammation in the tendons.


Depression and Anxiety
Spending a lot of time looking at the smartphone screen can result in anxiety and depression. Excessive smartphone users might get depressed if they forget to carry their smartphone with them, if they do not receive an expected call or message, etc.


Nerve Damage due to Radiation
You might have heard that radiation from cellphones and other such devices might cause serious health issues. Exposure to high levels of radiation might cause long term and incurable side effects. It affects the nervous system and results in migraine and headache among other serious issues.
source - GizBot