We are currently in a world which evolves around technology, where every week there is a new product, service or App which we want to test. Technology is something which will never stop growing. In our job roles many of us sit in an office at a desk working on a computer all day long. We then will most probably go home to watch the television whilst using our smart phone or tablet. It seems as though our lives are being run by the technical products and services which are around us.
Recent research and news has shown that smart phones and tablets can actually cause many health problems, especially in the younger generation, those that are growing up with this new technology around them. It seems as though everything is turning digital such as reading a book can now be done using the Amazon Kindle, an iPad or another form of tablet. Films and music can all be downloaded instantly meaning you can watch and listen on the go on your smart phone or tablet, instead of waiting for a DVD to arrive to then watch it on the television.
Health Issues
Research has revealed that the number of 16 to 24 year olds suffering from neck and back problems has risen by 60 percent in just a year. This is due to the amount of time many of us spend looking down at our smart phones and tablets throughout the day. In one of our previous blogs on Smart Phones, it has been revealed that the smart phone is a necessity to most people. We use our smart phone to wake up in the morning as an alarm and then it is by our side throughout the day commuting to work and using it for emails and meetings throughout the day. We take it home with us and use it to connect with family and friends through social media. It seems as though we have all become too attached to our phone that we wouldn’t know what to do without it.
Sleeping Disorders
Smart phones and tablets have got in the way of our sleep as most of us have our phones on the bedside table, the smart phone is never far from reach. We use our phones as an alarms to wake up in the morning and within 5 minutes of waking up we are checking our emails and social media accounts to stay up to date with the technical world. Many of us do not switch off from the digital world until we decide to turn the lights out and go to sleep. Using a technical device up until we go to sleep is not healthy as it keeps the mind active from looking at a bright screen. To get a good nights sleep you really need to stop using a smart device 1-2 hours before going to bed. Research has also suggested that having your mobile phone near to you when you sleep can be bad for you as it is constantly looking for mobile signals with radio waves which can interrupt your sleep. The best advice for a good nights sleep is to stop using your phone at least an hour before you go to sleep, to go back to using a traditional alarm to wake you up in the morning and to keep your phone in another room at night.
Unsociable
If you look around you, you will see that most of us are glued to the screens of our smart phones and tablets. If you go to a restaurant you will see many couples sitting at the table with their phones checking whats new on Facebook and Twitter rather than talking to the person that they have gone for a meal with. This is a sad world that we live in that we would rather talk to people of Facebook rather than the person who you should be spending quality time with.
Smart phones and tablets are making us increasingly unsociable as our attention is on what we are looking at on the screens of our smart phones and tablets rather than being out for a nice meal. We need to go back to the times where if we are out for a meal with family, friends or a loved one then this should be a time where we put our phones away and enjoy what is happening at that moment in time rather than elsewhere in the online social world.
Accident Prone
Smart devices can lead to many accidents. Although it is illegal to use your phone whilst driving, many unfortunately still do and this can result in many car accidents. There are many accidents caused by people looking down at their smart phones and texting whilst walking through a busy town, resulting in many bumps into people. Smart phones and tablets can be very distracting as your attention is on your phone rather than what is going on around you.
Time to Power Off
With the recent news of smart devices causing health problems it proves that it is time to take a break and think about turning that power button off. This means that we shouldn’t rely on our smart phones and tablets so much and we need to understand that we don’t always need to be constantly staring at a screen. It is time that we put our smart devices down and appreciate the life around us. Give it a go and see what you’ve been missing and enjoy the life around you without the need to have your smart phone or tablet in your hand.
