Yangyang, Guangdong, is 12 years old this year and is a lively primary school student. On weekends or winter and summer vacations, he seems to be a different person, and when he takes his mobile phone, it is like being sucked into a magical world, without blinking for several hours.
Especially during the holidays, he often played until one or two o'clock in the middle of the night, and his parents advised him to rest, but he didn't seem to hear it.
One day, Yang Yang was fighting in the game, and suddenly there was an "ouch", he covered his head, and his tears were about to fall in pain. His face suddenly turned pale, and he was nauseous and wanted to vomit, and when his parents saw this situation, they chuckled in their hearts and rushed him to the hospital.
After the doctor's examination, they were told the shocking news that Yang Yang had a tumor the size of a pigeon's egg in his head! This scared Yangyang's parents a lot. Fortunately, it was delivered in time, and the doctor said that it could be surgically removed.
Many people have the habit of playing with their mobile phones before going to bed, however, there are health risks hidden behind this seemingly ordinary habit that cannot be ignored.
So, what kind of impact will this behavior of often playing with mobile phones before going to bed affect our health? At the same time, we often hear that radiation from mobile phones may cause cancer, but is this true?
01
Mobile phone radiation causes cancer?
Mobile phone radiation has always been the focus of attention. Although most studies have not yet established a direct causal relationship between cell phone radiation and brain tumors, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies cell phone radiation as a Group 2B carcinogen, which means that cell phone radiation may be linked to the development of certain cancers.
Mobile phone radiation is non-ionizing radiation, which has a low frequency and relatively little harm to the human body. However, prolonged, close contact with mobile phones can still have potential health effects.
Therefore, it is recommended that everyone sleep with their mobile phones 15 cm away from their body to reduce the potential effects of radiation.
02
The potential effects of playing with your phone before bed
Decreased sleep quality: Playing with your phone before bed can disrupt our biological clock and affect the secretion of melatonin. Melatonin is a sleep-promoting hormone whose secretion is affected by light.
Using mobile phones at night can make our body mistakenly think that it is still daytime, which inhibits the secretion of melatonin and leads to a decrease in sleep quality. In the long run, it can lead to insomnia, dreaminess, fatigue and other problems.
Induce glaucoma: Using a mobile phone in a dark environment for a long time will dilate the pupils, resulting in narrowing of the eye angle and increased intraocular pressure, which can induce eye diseases such as glaucoma.
In addition, staring at the phone screen for a long time can also lead to problems such as eye strain, dryness, and vision loss.
Damage to joints: Lowering your head to play with your mobile phone before going to bed will put the cervical spine in an unnatural state for a long time and increase the burden on the cervical spine. In the long term, it can lead to problems such as cervical spine pain, stiffness, and limited mobility.
In addition, playing with your phone in one position for long periods of time may also cause pressure on joints such as shoulders and arms, causing pain and discomfort.
Increased risk of depression: Use of mobile phones at night may interfere with neural circuitry and affect mood regulation. Studies have shown an association between excessive use of mobile phones and psychological problems such as depression and anxiety.
Playing on your phone before bed can trap you in a virtual social environment that ignores real-life human interactions, leading to increased feelings of loneliness and depression.
03
The correct posture for playing with the phone
Playing on your stomach: While this position is comfortable, playing with your phone on your stomach for long periods of time can cause discomfort in your shoulders and upper back. If you must play on your stomach, you can put a soft pillow or cushion underneath to reduce the burden on your body.
Lying on your back: This position requires adjusting the height of the pillow so that the head and neck are in a natural state and avoid deflecting for long periods of time. At the same time, the phone can be placed on the head of the bed or on the stand to reduce the burden on the arm.
Lying on your side: When lying on your side to play with your phone, avoid twisting too much to avoid putting pressure on your neck and shoulders. At the same time, the height of the pillow can be adjusted so that the body and head are in a straight line.
Semi-recumbent play: This position requires holding the phone up to avoid putting pressure on the cervical spine by lowering the head. At the same time, pay attention to supporting the waist and back to maintain the stability of the body.
04
Precautions for playing with mobile phones
Font Size Up: Make the font on your phone bigger to reduce the burden on your eyes.
Dim the light: When playing with your phone under a low light source, turn down the brightness of your phone to reduce irritation to your eyes. At the same time, you can also turn on the phone's eye protection mode or night mode to reduce the damage of blue light to your eyes.
Control time: The time to play with the mobile phone before going to bed should not be too long, and it is recommended to control it within half an hour. Prolonged use of your phone not only affects your sleep quality, but it can also have a potential impact on your health.
Playing with your phone before bed has become a daily habit for many people, but this habit can have a non-negligible impact on our health.
Therefore, we recommend minimizing the amount of time you spend on your phone before bed and trying to establish healthier bedtime habits. For example, reading books and communicating with loved ones. These activities not only help us relax and unwind, but also promote better sleep.