A woman sleeping with her phone (Thinkstock)
Cell phones have long surpassed being a just a device to make calls
and receive messages. Our dependency on its numerous features has got
us enslaved.
Today, almost all of us can’t survive without our indispensable
communication gadget. And it has gone a step further, whether single or
not, mobile phones have becoming a sleeping companion to people
globally. There’s hardly any of us who goes to bed without it. Despite
health warnings of radiation, we still keep it next to our faces near
the pillow or at the most, within an arm’s reach on the bed side table.
Well, it’s time to change all of that...
Health warnings
Recently, the California Department of Health warned that the
public need to keep their mobile phones several feet away from them to
reduce health risks and radiation exposure. The state released guidance
for reducing exposure to cell phone radiation, surrounded by mounting
evidence that mobile use may be linked to cancer, attention, mental
health and reproductive health issues. Using low frequency radio signals
to transmit information, cell phones put us at risk of unhealthy
radiation, especially when streaming or downloading large files.
Though research has not definitively proven cell phone radiation is
dangerous, there have been enough studies linking the two to exercise
caution, especially for children. The California statewide notice issued
warnings that citizens should make some distance between their mobiles
and their bodies. The radio frequency (RF) energy cell phones use to
transmit information are at the bottom of the radiation totem poll, but
research suggests that our frequent, close-range exposure to cell phones
may be enough to endanger us.
“Keeping a phone directly on the body has never been a good idea,” says
Dr Devra Davis of the Environmental Health Trust. In fact, cell phone
makers themselves seem to agree. Apple, for example, includes an ‘RF exposure’ notice
in the iPhone’s settings. Health studies have shown evidence that
mobile phone exposure may cause tumours in the brain or ears, where the
body is frequently in contact with the gadget. Though research on RF’s
effects on children specifically is fairly limited, many psychologists
have already warned that cell phone use may be linked to poorer
attention, mental health and sleep for adolescents.
International studies “have show that men who keep their phone
in their pockets the longest have lowest sperm count, with most damage,”
says Dr Davis. “Many people keep their phones in their pockets for
hours a day, especially in the summer with thinner exposures will be far
greater,” she adds. Contemporary cell phone signals use “the weakest
signals, but strength of the signals is not an issue when comes to
biological effect. It’s not the power, it’s the irregular nature of
signal,” says Davis.
Experts speak
Dr Ramakant Deshpande, oncologist, Asian Cancer Institute, says,
“Ionisation can impact children; studies have shown it’s effects on the
central nervous system is higher. Children have greater exposure to
cellphones and this needs to be reduced to avoid any long term health
hazards.”
Radiation from cellphones have the potential to cause cancer; there
has been an increase in benign tumours but not all cancers. Cellphones
are very useful in daily life and it is not possible to completely stay
away from them. It is suggested that a balance should be maintained and
cellphones have to be used with care and precaution, cautions Dr
Deshpande.
Reproductive health
Dr Bandita Sinha, gynaecologist and infertility specialist, World
of Women clinic, says that cell phone radiation can be harmful and will
affect fertility, although there are no studies that prove the
statistics of this radiation and its impact. However, it is advisable to
keep cell phones several feet away from one’s body.
“If cell phones are kept closer to one’s body for a longer
period, it can have harmful effects. As radiation affects brain and can
also lead to hormonal imbalance, it also affects the menstrual cycle.
Using cell phones for a longer period of time can impact sleep, long
term sleep disturbances cause menstrual irregularities. Using a laptop
on the lap regularly will lower sperm count,” warns Dr Sinha.
What to do?
Dr Deshpande recommends keeping cell phones away during bedtime and
it should be switched off. Reducing the cell phone exposure time is
better especially for children, putting in air plane more may not
necessarily be helpful.
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