Does excessive use of the phone make you age quickly?

 Does excessive use of the phone make you age quickly?

Technology is rapidly changing our lives. In this context, the smartphone has become an inseparable part. Today, more than four and a half billion users use smartphones worldwide.

Smartphones have many advantages. But driving more than necessary is equally disadvantageous. According to studies, smartphones affect our brain. It can stop the growth and development of children due to poor eyesight.

Bone and muscle (musculoskeletal) pain is often associated with aging. But many young people are already facing this problem.

A study conducted in 2022 showed that prolonged use of smartphones can cause pain in the neck, shoulders, elbows and hands. Researchers from Bangladesh and India studied the effects of excessive use of smartphones on the musculoskeletal system. The study concluded that smartphones have a profound effect on our physical health.

The study was conducted among 326 students in the age group of 18 to 30 years. In which smartphone addiction, neck pain, shoulder pain, elbow pain and hand pain were also tested. In that sequence, 70 percent of the students said that they were addicted to their phones, while many of them said that they had neck, shoulder and elbow pain.

Using a smartphone while sitting in a bad posture is the main cause of physical pain. For example, using a smartphone while slouching for a long time creates pressure on the cervical spine. It causes sore throat. In addition, studies have shown that excessive use of the phone leads to muscle contractions, while repeated use of the fingers and wrists has serious effects on the shoulders, elbows and hands.

Then what to do?

In fact, if everything is done in a balanced way, there will be no problem. This is the best way to prevent the effects of smartphone use. Responsible use of smartphones can prevent many health-related problems.

-Paying attention to body posture

If you don't pay attention to your body posture while using a smartphone, there is a possibility that you will quickly become clumsy. If you sit down and use the phone for a long time, your back (spine) will start to hurt along with your neck. To prevent this from happening, it is better to use the smartphone at eye level with the head up and the back straight. Similarly, while typing or using touch navigation, the smartphone should be held at an angle of 30 degrees. Or it is better to use a phone stand or holder to watch movies from a smartphone.

- Eases hands and wrists

When typing on the smartphone for a long time or holding the phone, the finger hurts or becomes numb. Similarly, holding the phone to your ear for a long time can cause elbow and arm pain. Therefore, it is better to switch the phone from one ear to the other ear every few minutes during a long conversation. Headphones/earbuds can also be used.

Similarly, if you have to type for a long time, hold the phone with both hands. It does not put too much weight on the old finger. Excessive smartphone use can cause swelling around the joints of the hands, fingers, wrists and neck. Therefore, the wrist should be kept straight to avoid swelling around the joint.

-20/20/20 rule

If you are using your mobile most of the day then following this rule is very beneficial. According to this rule, every 20 minutes you have to take your eyes off the screen and look at an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds.

According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, it takes 20 seconds for the eyes to reset and relax. But looking at the screen for a long time puts strain on the eyes. It creates problems like headache, fatigue, blurred vision.

Apart from these, you can also prevent eye strain by adjusting the brightness of the smartphone to match the light of the environment, arranging proper lighting in the room, and increasing the font size. And don't forget to keep blinking your eyes. By doing this, the eyes become moist and can be saved from dryness and irritation.