The Many Ways Smartphones Are Changing Our Bodies

As kids, we were told not to sit too close to the TV screen for fear of ruining our eyes. Yet for some reason we don’t tend to apply those rules—or any rules, really—to the way we interact with the screens on our phones and other devices. As AsapSCIENCE explains in the video above, those screens are affecting our eyes. And our backs. And our sleep.

Let’s get one thing straight: there is no proof that cell phones cause cancer. Yes, recent headlines might have said something different. But those headlines overlooked some key details. First, the study in question was leaked before peer review, and nobody has replicated the results. Second, the study was done on rats, and lastly, the results were not conclusive. We have no evidence that cell phones cause cancer. 

That doesn’t mean that they’re good for us, though. There’s no doubt that our tech addiction—and it is, chemically, an addiction—is changing our lives in ways that aren’t necessarily beneficial. If you find yourself stressed, overtired, easily distracted, unable to stop checking your email, or mindlessly scrolling through social media, it might be time for a phone vacation. 

Banner image from YouTube // asapSCIENCE