Mobile phone syndrome
Overuse of digital devices can have some major
effects on our physical health. Physiotherapists are
now encountering neck and upper-back problems
caused by overuse, with ‘text neck’ a problem even
among school-age children.
Due to the position of our hands and arms during
prolonged phone use, we’re experiencing hand and
wrist problems too — in particular, infl ammation of the
tendons at the base of the thumb, a condition known
as de Quervain’s disease.
Our eyes are feeling the pressure of mobile phone
syndrome too. ‘Digital eye strain’ — a group of eye
and vision-related problems caused by our over-use
of digital devices — includes eye redness and dryness,
blurry vision, eye strain and headaches. But perhaps
the most serious effect of digital devices is on our
sleep. Research has found they
affect the amount and quality of
our sleep, especially when we
use them in the hours before
bedtime. In teenage years, this
is particularly worrying. A 2018
study found that access to social
media — especially via mobiles
in teenagers’ bedrooms — was
associated with a reduction in
sleep time during the school
week, which in turn had negative
effects on adolescents’ daily
functioning and mood.
Researchers think the screen’s
blue light suppresses melatonin,
the hormone that’s responsible
for making us sleepy. Blue light
has also been shown to prevent
body temperature from dropping
during the night, a key element of
the body’s progression into sleep.AUSTRALIANS SPEND
MORE TIME ON THE
INTERNET THAN
WATCHING TV
JUNE 2019 HEALTHY FOOD GUIDE 19