These days, our smartphones, particularly our iPhones, are attached to our bodies at all times. However, the way we use them can actually hurt our health.
Many of us have come to accept the fact that we’re living in a digital age where our iPhones have become a crucial part of our daily routines, as we use them for work, connecting with loved ones, etc. Still, we can tend to get ‘addicted’ to them and take things too far. We spoke with health experts, including Dr. Ryan Sultan, Registered Dietitian Amber Wren, Dr. Omar S. Khokhar, and more, about iPhone habits they consider “unhealthy” and can have more adverse effects than we may think. Read more about four of them below.
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Overexposure To Social Media
According to Dr. Sultan, one of the most harmful iPhone habits is our constant social media use.
"We were not evolutionarily made to be exposed to the number of people and situations that we do on a daily basis online," he explains.
Additionally, he noted that constantly using social media, comparing ourselves to others, and allowing it to suck up our time can lead to "chronic depression, anxiety, and overstimulation," pushing our brains far beyond what they're used to regarding social connections.
Using Your iPhone In The Bathroom
While we used to sit and read magazines or books in the bathroom when we knew we'd be in there for a few minutes, many of us have replaced them with our smartphones so we can use the experience for extra scroll time. But, Dr. Khokar says that it's "one of the worst things you can do with your phone."
He adds that "doomscrolling" while sitting on the toilet "can lead to all kinds of issues, including diverticulosis, hemorrhoids, and anal fissures."
Mindlessly Scrolling While Eating
With a rise in electronics use, many of us no longer sit in silence and eat a meal. We have to be either watching television or scrolling through our phones and watching videos. However, Registered Dietitian Amber Wren with Kuon Healthcare notes that it's an extremely unhealthy habit, especially if you have issues with overeating.
"Having your iPhone on the table interrupts the hunger and satiety signals," she explains.
"When the screens occupy the mind, people eat more and also enjoy food less. This may result in weight gain over time, bad digestion, and bad eating habits such as emotional eating."
Scrolling Before Bed
You're probably tired of being told that if you go on your iPhone in bed or stay on it for too long before getting ready for bed, you're in for a lousy sleep. However, it's important to remember that exposure to blue light and some of the stressful content we can see on social media can be detrimental to sleep. Pharmacist Steven A. Boorstein says that doomscrolling before bed can raise your body's cortisol levels, which is not ideal before you fall asleep.
"Cortisol should be low at night to help you sleep," he explains.
"So the best hack I can think of is to stop using your phone 30 minutes before bedtime and relax, take a light walk, breathe, and do something that doesn't involve social media. Let your cortisol levels drop naturally, and you'll likely sleep better."
