Is technology ruining your health?

Most of us love modern technology – it makes us super-fast, productive human beings and enables us to connect with the rest of the globe, wherever and whenever we want. But in this fast-paced world, how often do we stop to wonder what this new technology is doing to our health and wellbeing. Let’s discover more…
This is how your computer can harm your health

• Computer vision syndrome (CVS) is the general term used for eye or vision-related problems experienced by people who spend a lot of time staring at their computers. Symptoms may include headaches, burning or dry eyes, watery eyes, double or blurred vision, difficulty focusing or distinguishing colours, neck, shoulder or back pain, and even sensitivity to light.

Did you know: About 75% of computer users show symptoms of CVS due to extended use of a computer, exposure to bright light or glare, poor lighting, and improper workstation setup? 

Tips to reduce eyestrain during computer work

• Adjust your position: Position your monitor directly in front of you (about 50 to 100cm) from your eyes. Keep the top of your screen at eye level or below so that you look down slightly at your work.

Place your monitor directly in front of you to minimize eye movement.

• Check the lighting and reduce glare: Adjust your lighting or brightness settings on your computer to reduce glare or reflections and ease eyestrain.
• Adjust your monitor
• Keep your monitor clean
• Position your keyboard properly: Keyboard should be placed directly in front of you.
• Look away from your monitor every 20 or 30 minutes to focus on something in the distance.

•  Sleep deprivation: The light from our TV and computer screens may affect our ability to produce melatonin and may throw off our natural circadian rhythms. This may interrupt deep, restorative sleep, causing an increase in stress and depressive symptoms.
•  Laptop burns: Laptops may have been developed for the lap but the truth is that they generate heat, which can result in second-degree burns. To prevent this, place something on your lap, between your skin and the laptop or, better yet, work from a desk, which will also alleviate other CVS syndromes.
• Aches and pains: Have you ever looked at your computer posture? How often do you strain to read the fine print on a tablet or screen? How often do you hunch over a tablet instead of placing it on a table in something that holds it upright? Just because a device is small and light doesn’t mean it isn’t adding aches and pains to our bodies. Carpel tunnel syndrome may also occur in the wrists thanks to our ability to type on more devices than ever. So ease up on the texts and take a break from your computer, once in a while.

Some of the health risks around cellphones

• Smartphone stress: Scientists have found an association between smartphones and stress, which is related to people constantly checking their message alerts. To reduce stress, allocate times when you turn your cellphone onto silent and check in every few hours.
• Cellphone acne: Think twice before putting your phone next to your face. Cellphones can be covered in bacteria, causing oils to collect against our faces, which may result in pimples and acne. Use a speakerphone or headset to keep bacteria at bay.
• Headphones and hearing loss: Earpieces, which fit into your ear canal and don’t offer external noise reduction, force you to turn up the volume on your music to a level where it can actually cause hearing loss over time with frequent use. Invest in noise-cancelling headphones or enjoy the extra ambient layer to your music.

Should I be worried about radio frequency?
We live in a wireless world that relies on an extensive network of base stations that relay information with radiofrequency (RF) signals. There are currently over 1.4 million base stations worldwide and the number is only increasing. As this happens, so does the RF exposure of the population. While there is currently no concrete evidence to suggest that RF waves from cellphones cause harmful health effects, some studies are pointing to possible health effects in the future. Here are some tips to reduce your daily exposure. Just in case:

• Switch to speaker mode or use a hands-free device. This effectively moves the antenna away from your head, decreasing the amount of RF waves near your head.
• Corded earpieces give off almost no RF waves while Bluetooth® earpieces have a very low specific absorption rate, or SAR (the amount of RF energy absorbed into the user’s body).
• Where possible, opt for texting instead of calling (it’s cheaper too) and try to cut back on cellphone usage by adopting “cellphone free” hours or days.
• Different models of phones give off different levels of RF waves. Try switching to a phone with a low SAR value, as an added precaution.

Resources
www.who.int/
www.mayoclinic.org
http://www.medicaleyecenter.com/eye-care-education/computer-vision-syndrome/
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/bright-screens-could-delay-bedtime/
http://www.womenshealthmag.com/beauty/cell-phone-breakouts
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3042390/ 
http://www.fda.gov/Radiation-EmittingProducts/RadiationEmittingProductsandProcedures/HomeBusinessandEntertainment/CellPhones
This article contains opinions, facts and references to other information sources. You should always consult a registered healthcare professional for any personal advice.