Using a smartphone in 2022 is almost essential to business and personal growth. A smartphone not only offers the convenience of having a world of information at your fingertips, but it also boosts online networking opportunities. As much as a smartphone is a great way to keep your life organized and on track, smartphones have also been linked to mood and sleep inconsistencies. Here are seven ways your smartphone might be interfering with your sleep.
It strains your eyes
Whenever you spend more than a few hours staring at your phone (or alternating between your phone and computer screens), you risk dry eyes from blinking less, headaches, blurred vision, and general eyestrain — particularly if you have any untreated vision problems. Unlike reading from a printed page, it’s harder for your eyes to focus on a digital screen because the letters aren’t as sharp, there’s less contrast between the backlit letters and background, and you’re up against glare and reflections. Looking into the distance every 20 minutes can help, as can an antiglare screen and frequent blinking.
It could cause depression
Frequent social media usage has been linked to depression — and smartphones make it easy. Regularly seeing images of everyone looking happy and successful may lead to unhealthy and inaccurate comparisons and decreased feelings of self-worth.
It may cause memory loss
With a smartphone handy, there’s no reason to memorize things you know you can easily look up — like phone numbers. And when you stop memorizing facts and figures, your memory can get a little rusty.
It may reduce your self-esteem
Phones give people the ability to filter every part of daily life and place the best parts in their palms. All this amounts to a constant stream of unattainable reality that makes you feel bad about living your unfiltered life.
It affects your social skills
A phone is a ticket out of interacting in any social situation. Itcould interfere with your development of proper communication skills. Social angst of course leads to anxiety and the physical symptoms that can accompany it.
It affects your sleep
If you’re part of the 95 percent of people who use some kind of electronic device during the hour before bed, the artificial blue light could suppress the hormones that promote sleep and make it harder to get to bed. Of course your phone’s random vibration, beeping, or light can also wake you up once you fall asleep — it’s why sleep mode is essential.
It can cause neck and upper back pain
A couple of hours of hunching over your smartphone can trigger discomfort beginning with pain in the back of the neck and shoulders. This is according to Kenneth Hansraj, M.D., orthopedic surgeon and chief of spine surgery at New York Spine Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine in Manhattan.
While a smartphone is great, finding a balance will do great good.
