The Indian mobile industry is the fastest growing in the world with India being the country with the largest number of mobile connections in the world. The telecom sector in our country provides massive opportunities for phone manufacturers from all over the world. The last few years saw India adding many firsts to its list of achievements. Some of these are the world's lowest call rates (1 paisa/sec), fastest growth in the number of subscribers (15-20 million per month), fastest sale of a million mobile phones(1 week), the world's cheapest mobile handset (777), and the world's most affordable 3G phone (4,999).
Our addiction to smartphones are epic. One in every five people own a cellphone in this world. Recently a group of Singapore students won $23,000 for designing "Apple Tree" an application that rewards users for leaving their phones unused at social events.
For some, the benefits of reducing smartphone use seem obvious. "Unplugging" from social media site notifications or email alerts can reduce stress and add to quality time spent with family members and friends. Others might need more encouragement, and that's why we have researched on the health risks of smartphone use and made a note of it right below:
NOMOPHOBIA :- No-mobile-phone-phobia, or nomophobia, is a term which can be defined as the fear of being out of mobile contact. According to a study, nearly 53 per cent of mobile phone users tend to be anxious when they ‘lose their mobile phone, run out of battery or credit, or have no network coverage’. People are so dependent on their phones that one in a fifth person checks their emails in bed and nearly half take their smartphones whereever they go. Nomophobia affects women far more than men. Women are 17 per cent more likely to have the phobia. Symptoms include being unable to turn off your phone, obsessively checking your phone, constantly charging up the battery and taking your phone even to the loo. Worst affected are 18 to 24-year-olds. 77 per cent of these age group are unable to stay away from their phone for more than a few minutes.
TEXT NECK :- The term used by doctors to describe the pain which arises in the spinal cord due to excess usage of smartphones. If you keep your head straight and raise the level of your smartphone then the problem is solved. Usually we tend to bend forward inorder to read a text but next time Dont!. You maybe working out your way to a 'Text Neck'.
VISION PROBLEMS :- Staring at all those tiny fonts on your smartphone screen and scrolling down through all those Email and Social network notifications can definitely lead to eye problems. These can cause you blurred vision, dry eyes, dizziness and even Myopia. From now on take heed and take regular intervals from staring at your smartphone screen. Follow the rule of 20-20. After every 20 minutes of looking onto the screen look 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This will ensure adequate exercise for your eyes. And finally dont forget to blink, battle those eyelids regularly for healthy eyes. Adjusting the screen brightness accordingly will also help.
WRIST PROBLEMS and TEXT CLAW :- In addition to the Text Neck, the users are also complaining of constant wrist problems. The anxiety of missing out a Facebook update or an email has risen and is taking a great toll on the health of millions of users. Being glued to the smartphones can not only cause pain in the wrist but can even go uptill your forearm. What you can do is to stretch and flex your hand backward and forward. Placing an ice cube on the affected areas for a few minutes is also an effective remedy.
SMARTPHONE STRESS :- The “always on” stress induced by the smartphones is too high that people tend to fret and worry when they miss a call, text a social media update or anything else that can be beamed into that device. Divide your time considering the requirements. Save some time for friends and family apart from text messages and calls. Go out and meet the real world.
LAYERS OF FILTH :- Smartphones comes with us everywhere. To the gym, work, public rest rooms, restaurants, with you to the bed and sometimes even onto your babies mouth. Therefore its obvious that this little gadget will be covered with full of bacteria causing acne and various skin irritations. Keep your phone surface clean all the time and use speaker phone or earphones to attend calls. Wish it was possible to toss our mobiles into the washing machine to get all that filth off.
HARMFUL RADIATION :- The radiation emitted by the cellphones are easily absorbed by the user and is scientifically proved to be harmful. Keep your phones at least 3 feet away while you go to bed. You definitely do not want to absorb all the radiation that your cellphone radiates throughout the night.
PHANTOM VIBRATIONS :- No, your phone didn't just vibrate! At a certain point in our day-to-day life all of us would have experienced phantom vibrations when the phones weren't actually vibrating. The users are so dependent on the phone that this happens when they are so anxious that their phones are not vibrating. A good way to break the addiction? Try shutting your vibration function off and move to only checking your phone during selected hours. If you have to keep your phone with you, place it in your bag or a pouch instead. And try to resist checking your bag every five minutes. Otherwise, you might become the first case of Phantom Bag Vibration Syndrome.
SLEEP DISORDERS :- Do you often cuddle up with that smartphone of yours when you go to bed? The artificial light from your mobile screen will be affecting your sleep patterns. This light can reduce the production of melatonin which helps us to sleep. So swap your mobile phones for a book before hitting the bed to have a good nights sleep.
HEARING LOSS :- Blasting those music all day long through your earphones can cause you serious hearing impairments. Keep the volume down and maintain a safe listening level.
Mentioned below are some digital detox tips for bringing some balance into our technologically overloaded life:
• Read a book while traveling to work, waiting in a queue etc.
• Leave your phone charger at home so that you will be forced to use your phone minimally.
• Avoid checking social networking sites and emails right before going to bed.
• Use the digital camera while traveling to capture those beautiful moments and later upload it.
• Involve yourself in real games and fun activities that liberates your body, mind and soul. Outdoor exposure definitely rejuvenates oneself.
• Turn your phones to silent mode while attending wedding, funeral and other social gatherings.
Hope this article has provided you with some information that will change your current lifestyle in a positive way. Stay healthy and live long happily!!
