Is there really any way to live these days without technology? The answer to that question is not really. In almost everything we do depends on the use of technology. For instance, we use our phones or Alexa's to set alarms to wake us up in the morning. After we wake up and have our breakfast, we check our phones, computers, and tablets for text messages, missed phone calls, and emails. Then we get dressed and prepare ourselves for our daily drives to work. To make this drive more enjoyable, we turn on our phone's Bluetooth and shuffle through songs on our phone or car counsel. Once we arrive to work, we get glued to our computers until it is time to go home. And when we get home, we either sit down and watch T.V., scroll through our social media, and or news apps. Our whole day is filled with technology, but can this be dangerous? The answer is yes. Overuse of technology can be dangerous for our health and privacy.
How Is Technology Dangerous For Our Health
Technology will be around for a while, but it is important to know and understand its effects on our health. One of the most well-known issues that technology causes are eye strains. Multiple factors cause eye strain, but one of them is staring at a screen for too long. Some of the side effects of eye strain include blurred vision. The eyes get dry, headaches occur, and the shoulders and neck hurt. If you have ever noticed these symptoms happening to you after being on your phone or computer for a long time, you should try the following tip. Many optometrists recommend looking away for twenty seconds; for every twenty minutes, you use a phone or computer. But keep in mind if you use this tip, make sure you are looking at something that is about twenty feet away from you for the best results.
Another health issue that arises when someone uses technology too much is musculoskeletal problems. When people use their phones or computers, they usually project their neck outward more than usual and sit in a bad posture. This can lead to musculoskeletal problems such as neck pain, low back pain, and hands and wrists' strains. People who are addicted to being on their smartphones, for example, reported the highest amount of these particular symptoms. Having low back pain and pain in the neck started to be common when technology's popularity started to rise for teenagers back in the 1990s. The best way to avoid this strain of pain is by taking breaks and stretching, and try to keep a good posture when sitting at a computer or phone.
Technology also has a huge effect on how well we sleep and rise in the morning. Phones, computers, and tablets all emit a blue light that can dampen our melatonin and mess up our sleep schedule. This makes it more challenging for us to fall asleep and be groggy in the morning. That is why so many sleep specialists recommend that you turn your phones off an hour before you sleep so you can avoid blue light exposure.
One of the most talked-about topics regarding the negative aspect of using technology is its effect on our mental health. Technology has allowed us to connect with all kinds of people, which is incredibly helpful but has its downfalls. But with the power to connect with so many different types of people, especially through social media outlets, it can be hard not to compare our lives to others. And when you compare yourself to others, you tend to feel left out of things. In fact, there was research done on 19-32-year-olds to see how they felt about social media. The study outcomes showed that people who used social media more often felt incredibly left out and isolated from the world more than people who did not use social media that often. People who use social media generally tend to have depression and anxiety as well. If you have noticed that you feel isolated, depressed, or have an increased amount of anxiety, try to stay off social media and limit the amount of time you spend there. Instagram actually has a timer you can set for how long you want to be on the app. You can also mute notifications for apps such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and News apps. This can help you not feel glued to your phone.
Technology has also been shown to affect children's mental health and cognitive skills. Children should learn how to use technology, but it should not take away the time they play outside and socialize with others. Children who get too much screen time tend to be more aggressive, have obesity problems, lose social skills, have a harder time falling asleep, and tend to be more violent. Children who also overuse technology have a higher possibility of developing ADHD. It is best to designate hours of the day that will be media-free, so your child does not develop any of these issues.
Suppose you are getting frequent complaints from your friends and family about your technology usage, or you notice you are getting less work done, gaining weight, or having a hard time sleeping. You might need to slow down when it comes to technology. Try doing what parents are doing for their children. Create hours of the day that are dedicated to not using any technology. That way, you can get your chores done, connect with some friends in person, learn a new hobby, and exercise. Technology may be a part of our lives every day, but there are ways to take a break from it. These steps listed in the blog are great examples of how you can take care of your body and still be a proud technology user.
How Is Technology Bad For Our Privacy
A lot of technology is free. Some excellent examples of free technology include Google and Facebook. Both allow you to use their services for no charge, which sounds great, but unfortunately, you are paying for something, your privacy. Whenever companies offer a product for free, that usually means you are the product. Google and Facebook make their currency by selling their user's information to advertisers. For example, whenever someone searches for a keyword on Google, sponsors who paid for a bid have the opportunity to have their company pop up as one of the topmost three searches.
Hacking attacks have also become a trendy way to steal people's information, especially when it comes to online banking. Hackers will do things like phishing which is where thieves will send people fake emails that have links and, if clicked on, can allow the hackers to retrieve sensitive information. These are just some of the few ways we have to be careful about technology and our privacy. However, if you ever come across a hacker, feel free to use GladiKnow.
GladiKnow is a people search engine that allows you to search anyone in the United States. This people search engine has over a billion records that range from criminal records, bankruptcies, liens and judgments, sex offender records, home addresses, phone numbers, social media accounts, relatives' names, and so much more. If someone sends you an email and signs it with a full name, you can look that name up using GladiKnow and decipher whether or not a hacker has emailed you. For more information on people search engines check out this link.
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