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Gayatri Pariwar

Be Careful with Electronic Gadgets

Electronic gadgets have become an integral part of our daily life. Everyone has a mobile phone or a smart phone in their hands. While these have made life easy for us in many aspects, they have also resulted in forming some new habits in our life style. These gadgets can be used for different types of communication like – messaging, internet browsing, conversing with anyone in any part of the world, VoIP etc.

All this is made possible using radio frequency (RF) range of electromagnetic waves. Because of this, we are constantly exposed by RF radiation; and this has given rise to a host of problems.

It has become very common for people to use mobile phones before sleeping and keep them by their bedside so that they can use as soon as they wake up. This habit has a very adverse effect on our nervous system. Young people and kids who keep playing video games on the mobile till they fall asleep have to suffer from the ill-effects of the radiations and damage to their brains.

The result of watching TV or playing games in the mobile until it is time to sleep is that the brain remains active even after trying to fall asleep for a long time. This increases stress and this elevates the secretion of stress hormones in the endocrine gland. This stimulates the body and the brain cannot get the requisite relaxation. This again affects the nervous system.

In addition to this, the RF radiations emitted by these gadgets affect anything in the radius of 2-3 feet. These radiations are very harmful to babies, pregnant women and sick people. This is why even doctors recommend that we stay away from gadgets when we are unwell. While it is not possible to stop using gadgets, we can certainly adhere to some precautions so that the ill-effects can be minimized. Some guidelines are – don’t use mobile or laptop while they are getting charged, keep gadgets 2-3 feet away from your body when you sleep, those less than 18 years and pregnant women can minimize their usage and keep it strictly on a need-basis, use ear phones while talking on the mobile as much as possible etc.

Many scientific researches reveal that it is advisable to keep these devices at a distance of 6-8 inches from the body. Don’t keep the laptop on your legs while using. There are people who work lying down with the laptop on their chest. Making this a habit can lead to serious heart diseases. The researches have also revealed that the proximity of the devices to the body for more than 10-15 minutes increases the body temperature by as much as 2 degrees. The former director of NASA’s ‘Fatigue Countermeasures Program’, Mark Rosekind says – ‘Usage of mobile, tablet or laptop in the night causes sleep disorders. Anything that emits light during night affects the secretion of melatonin which is the hormone that regulates sleep. A survey on how mobile affects sleep rate has revealed that adults who watch TV for long hours barely can sleep for 2-3 hours in the night. Among these adults, 77% of them experience fatigue and weakness during the day. So, it is important that you turn off all electronic devices at night. Ensure that they are physically far from you and also stop using them at least 30 minutes before you go to sleep. Regulate the time spent on watching TV and ensure that you get adequate sleep.

Those who work with the gadgets kept on their laps will more often than not experience pain in the neck muscles because bending down continuously to look at the laptop causes stress to those muscles. That is why it is recommended to place it on an ergonomic stand while working. Also, take care that you don’t work in the same posture for extended time. Keep taking short breaks frequently. When people spend many hours in front of the computer in ergonomically wrong posture, it can lead to carpal tunnel syndrome that can cause pain, numbness and tingling in arms, palm and fingers. Severe conditions might also require surgery. Physicians hence recommend that right posture be maintained when working at the computer for long durations. The chair should be as close as possible to the table. The back should be firmly supported to the back of the chair without using a cushion. The height of the chair should be such that the knees are bent at 90 degrees. The arm should be in a neutral position and rested on the table while typing on the keyboard. Working continuously on tablet, laptop or mobile without breaks can harm the eyes, bone joints, muscles and the circulatory system. The risk of developing blood clots increases. Especially in the age groups of 20-40 years, there is increased incidence of dry eyes, vision problems and eye irritations. To deal with these, ensure that you always have a bottle of water on the table and solving crosswords etc.

can prove helpful in dealing with these problems related to brain and memory retention. Experts say that owing to the technical advancements, a person is able to multi-task in all fields of activity. While this has its advantages, there are certain disadvantages too. The upside of this ability is that tasks get completed faster because of parallel processing. On the downside, there is marked reduction in mental focus. So, if you want to achieve both perfection and concentration, it is recommended to focus on one task at a time. This also improves your ability of accomplishing a task. To keep your mind calm and body active, take out time for yoga exercises, pranayama and meditation.

If you do not have time for these, then you will have to certainly take out time for sickness because absence of healthy regimen will take a toll on your body and mind sooner or later. A host of mental and physical ailments will drain your time and energy. Being friends with technology is good when you keep in mind the level of involvement that is beneficial to you.

Overindulgence can lead to hazards. While there is still time, be aware of the best practices of harnessing the technology, so that you can improve your productivity and also stay healthy.