5 harmful effects of smartphones

Using a smartphone has multiple benefits, including enjoying content, playing games, and carrying out financial transactions. The device is also useful for work-based tasks, such as answering calls and sending texts and emails in seconds. But on the flip side, using a smart device may have several adverse effects on our health, such as affecting our sleep and eye health. Here are five such complications that may occur due to excessive smartphone use.

Circadian rhythm instability
Circadian rhythms are physical, mental, and behavioral changes that follow a 24-hour cycle. The natural processes respond to light and dark. For example, a normal circadian rhythm involves staying awake during the day and sleeping at night. However, when we use a smartphone at night, our eyes are exposed to blue light emitted from the screen. Such light could affect the internal body clock and disrupt an individual’s circadian rhythm.

Difficulty sleeping
Studies have shown that exposure to blue light could suppress melatonin and affect one’s sleep-wake cycle. And this could result in insomnia, irritability, and tiredness during the day. Even viewing something entertaining on a smartphone before going to bed could trigger a response that prevents one from falling asleep. The use of the device may also delay REM sleep. This development could leave an individual staying wide awake for hours.

Vision problems
The blue light emitted from the screen of a smartphone could also affect our eyes. The retina is located in the back of the eye and is essential for converting light into signals. Our brain understands these signals as vision. However, as the blue light scatters more in the eye, it creates visual noise, which could lead to eye strain due to overstimulation. And this could damage the retina and lead to vision problems.

Text neck
The excessive time spent on a smartphone may also strain the neck muscles and lead to tightness or spasms. One may also experience nerve pain that extends to the back, shoulder, and arm.

Trigger thumb
The constant use of a smartphone for typing or holding a smartphone tightly could lead to a trigger thumb. Someone who develops this complication will find that the thumb gets stuck in a bent position or pops when they try to straighten it. The pop could be a painful sensation. The phenomenon occurs when the sheath surrounding the thumb tendon thickens, preventing the tendon from sliding freely.