How harmful is it to be 'bathed' in blue light?

Dr. Pham Anh Ngan, from the University Medical Center of Ho Chi Minh City - Branch 3, stated that in urban environments, in addition to electric lighting, blue light from electronic devices is increasingly enveloping us.

>>> Health in the 4.0 era: Eating, sleeping, and even going to the toilet while glued to your phone.

An alarming problem.

Blue light (High Energy Visible - HEV) is a type of short-wavelength, high-energy light emitted from devices such as smartphones, tablets, and computers. According to a 2020 study published by GlobalWebIndex, each person spends an average of 6 hours and 54 minutes a day with electronic devices, a number that is steadily increasing. The fact that people are constantly using their phones, even while eating, using the restroom, traveling, or staying up all night browsing social media, is becoming an alarming problem.

Blue light emitted from phones can cause many health problems.

"Continuous exposure to blue light, especially in the evening and before bedtime, inhibits the secretion of melatonin, a hormone essential for sleep. This can lead to sleep disturbances such as difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, and frequent awakenings during the night. Furthermore, the amount of blue light emitted from electronic devices at close range easily disperses in the eyes, reducing image contrast and causing visual discomfort," Dr. Ngan shared.

Many unexpected harmful effects

Sharing the same view, Dr. Vo Thi Ngoc Thu - Department of Neurology - Nam Saigon International General Hospital, said that most people check their phones at the last second before going to bed and place their phones near their beds. This is a serious problem that can cause insomnia and many other health problems.

Continuous exposure to blue light, especially in the evening and before bedtime, can affect mental health.

According to Dr. Ngoc Thu, a meta-analysis published in BMC Psychology in April 2023 showed a link between excessive screen time and mental health problems in adults.

Nowadays, mobile phones are an integral part of many people's lives.

In particular, using technology devices all night can reduce performance in studying and working the next day. Fatigue from staying up late can impair memory and concentration.

Furthermore, using phones at night may also be linked to prolonged sitting, lack of exercise, and other unhealthy habits such as irregular eating, leading to long-term health problems like obesity and cardiovascular disease.

Do not use your phone in the bathroom.

According to Dr. Nguyen Minh Thuan of Nam Saigon International General Hospital, toilets are damp places where germs thrive. Using a phone while using the toilet is a habit for many people. However, this habit can increase the risk of infections, hemorrhoids, rectal diseases, increased risk of cerebral ischemia, and negative impacts on joints and lower limbs.

"Holding your phone for a long time in the toilet puts pressure on your anus, affecting blood circulation in the hemorrhoidal veins. Blood doesn't flow properly, causing it to accumulate and the hemorrhoidal veins to swell," Dr. Thuan explained. (To be continued).

49% of people use their phones for more than 4 hours a day.

According to a quick survey conducted by Thanh Nien newspaper on July 31st, based on the article "Health in the 4.0 Era: Eating, Sleeping, and Even Using Your Phone," 49% of people use their phones for more than 4 hours a day; 23% use them for 2-4 hours; 19% use them for 1-2 hours; and 9% use them for less than 1 hour. The quick survey received a total of 147 votes.

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/suc-khoe-thoi-40-tam-trong-anh-sang-xanh-nguy-hai-nhu-the-nao-185230725215726263.htm