Have you ever felt so tired that it seems like your brain is foggy? Or have you found yourself unconsciously checking your phone even though you don’t need to be looking at social media? These are just some of the negative effects on our health from overusing technology, and this post will explore 5 of them in detail. They include the harmful effects of EMF radiation, attention issues caused by too much screen time and behavioural addiction caused by being constantly connected. If you want to learn more about how technology is making us unhealthy—and what we can do about it—read on.
EMF Radiation
You may have heard of EMF radiation, or electromagnetic fields. EMF radiation can be from natural sources, but it is also from man-made sources. Man-made sources include power lines and electronic devices such as cell phones and computers, which emit low levels of EMFs every time they are turned on.
These low levels of EMFs can be harmful to the body as well as the brain. The World Health Organisation (WHO) published a study in 2016 that found that there was evidence linking excessive cell phone usage with headaches, fatigue and depression in children who were using them excessively in their bedrooms overnight while sleeping (1). This means that constant exposure to even small amounts of electronic devices could be harmful to our health—and yet we continue to expose ourselves on a daily basis!
Attention
If you've ever had trouble following a conversation in a noisy room, you're familiar with the concept of attention. Attention is the process of selectively concentrating on one object while ignoring other objects. It's an incredibly important skill to have, especially when you're trying to accomplish something or make good use of your time.
Your brain has limited resources for paying attention, so it works hard to figure out what's most important and focus on that task at hand—and this means your brain will pay less attention to everything else around you (including people talking). The downside? When we spend too much time focused on our phones and computers, we become less able to concentrate on our tasks at hand because our brains have been trained through many years' worth of habits: You see an email notification on your phone asking if anyone wants pizza tonight; you check Instagram instead of finishing that memo for work; then before long it's 4:00 p.m., and you wonder where all the time went!
Behavioural addiction
- What is behavioural addiction?
- Behavioural addictions are those that involve a persistent and uncontrollable urge to repeat certain behaviours. For example, compulsive gambling or shopping can be characterised as a behavioural addiction because the person experiences an uncontrollable desire to engage in these activities.
- Why is it a problem?
- Behavioural addictions may interfere with your ability to function normally on a daily basis, leading you to neglect work or family responsibilities. Additionally, this type of addiction will cause you great emotional distress as well as have negative physical consequences (such as high blood pressure). While some people do manage their behaviorally addictive tendencies well enough to avoid any major problems, others cannot control these compulsions and suffer from serious consequences as a result.
Nomophobia
Nomophobia is a real problem, and it's growing. The fear of being without your mobile phone has crept into our lives as we rely more on technology than ever before.
So, why is this happening? It could be a symptom of other problems in your life or it could simply be an extension of the fact that communication no longer just happens face-to-face anymore. Whatever the reason, nomophobia is here to stay until we figure out how to manage it effectively and put limits on ourselves when we need them most.
Cognitive Dulling
There are numerous factors that can lead to cognitive dulling. Sleep deprivation and stress from modern life, for example, have been shown to have a negative impact on our brain function and ability to concentrate.
But there's one more thing you should add to this list: the electromagnetic radiation emanating from your cell phone and computer. This invisible energy field is emitted by all electronic devices (and even some light bulbs), causing hyperactivity in the brain that results in diminished concentration and focus—the very things we need the most today!
These 5 things are stopping us from being healthy.
EMF radiation is a real issue. We are constantly surrounded by electromagnetic fields, but the ones emitted by our phones and computers are especially dangerous because they're close to our bodies. Studies suggest they can increase your risk of developing cancer and other illnesses in the future.
Attention is a very limited resource, so you should make sure that what you spend it on is worth it. It doesn't matter if it's social media or just watching YouTube videos—spending too much time on trivial things will lead to stress, which can eventually become chronic stress if left unchecked for long enough periods of time. This can lead to serious health problems through negative effects on your immune system and even an increased risk of brain tumours!
Behavioural addiction refers simply enough: if something makes you feel good when you use it (like video games), then people will keep using them regardless of how much damage this does elsewhere in their lives (such as losing sleep). Unfortunately there isn’t any known cure for behavioural addiction at this point in time; however there are some psychological techniques which may help manage symptoms such as excessive gaming or gambling addiction by identifying triggers before they happen so that they don't happen again next time around!
Conclusion
We’re not saying to throw your phone out the window, but we do implore you to use it responsibly. A common theme among many of these problems is that as a society, we lean too heavily on our phones. It’s understandable—being constantly connected makes it easier than ever to stay in touch with friends and family, and there’s no doubt that social media has brought us all closer together and made our lives easier and more efficient. But what about the things that get lost in our constant connection? What about sleep? What about spending time with the people around us? What about creativity and freedom from distraction? We may be living in a world where having everything at your fingertips is possible, but that doesn’t mean it’s right for every aspect of your life.
As EMF’s are something we really can’t avoid, options like Pulsed Electromatic Magnetic therapy (PEMF) are an option to give your body a clearing of the EMS smog and recharging of your cells.
