An average individual spends at least five hours a day on their smartphone. This can lead to compulsive behavior, withdrawal symptoms, reduced social interaction and impaired functioning in daily life.
The excessive use of a smartphone can lead to the development of back problems, neck pain, shoulder strain and text claw. These are caused by hunching over, holding the phone too close to the face, and typing or swiping with the fingers and wrists for prolonged periods.
Holding the phone between the ear and the shoulder or bending the elbow to talk can compress the nerves and cause numbness, tingling or pain in the arm or hand. This condition is called cubital tunnel syndrome or cell phone elbow.
Constantly checking messages, notifications, news and social media can increase stress levels and trigger anxiety or depression. Smartphones can also expose users to cyberbullying, online harassment, misinformation and negative content that can affect their mental health.
Using smartphones for long hours can reduce physical activity, disrupt eating patterns and interfere with metabolism. This can lead to obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and other health problems.
Using smartphones before bed or during the night can disrupt the circadian rhythm, suppress melatonin production and interfere with sleep quality. This can cause fatigue, mood swings, impaired memory, reduced immunity and increased risk of chronic diseases.
Using smartphones while studying, working or performing other tasks can distract attention, impair focus and reduce productivity. Smartphones can also overstimulate the brain and make it harder to switch off or relax.
Relying on smartphones for information, navigation, calculation and other functions can make the brain lazy and reduce its ability to think critically, creatively and independently. Smartphones can also affect memory, learning and problem-solving skills.
Looking at a small phone screen for long periods of time can cause screen fatigue. This is characterized by throbbing pain on the forehead, eyes and temples that can last for hours. Screen fatigue can also lead to dry eyes, blurred vision, headaches and eye diseases.
Listening to loud music, videos or calls through earphones or speakers can damage the hearing cells in the inner ear and cause noise-induced hearing loss. This can result in tinnitus, ringing or buzzing in the ears, difficulty hearing conversations or sounds and increased sensitivity to noise.