Effects of Handheld electronic devices

Effects of handheld electronic devices.

                                                                                 

The irony of this society is that after knowing the catastrophic effects of Mobiles and tablets we voluntarily get addicted to use these devices. A deeper knowledge about the permanent damages that can be the result of over usage( repeat over usage) of these devices can refrain us from indulging. Let us dissect this on the basis of the various aspects affecting the human life:

Anatomic: more and more studies have proved that the heat or the EM signals for a longer duration near the ear can distract the electrical signals of the brain. These signals can be for voluntary or involuntary actions of the various organs. It is logical to state that wireless electrical signals can interfere in the signals of the neurons of the human body. The heat generated from the devices kept on the lap has scientifically proved decreased fertility. The important effect of handheld electronic devices is the attention deficit disorder which decreases the concentration ability and increased irritation syndrome. Use by children and prolonged use by adults can cause irreparable damage to the organs of the body. In May 2011 WHO classified cell phones and other wireless devices as a category 2B risk (possible carcinogen) due to radiation emission. James McNamee with Health Canada in October of 2011 issued a cautionary warning stating "Children are more sensitive to a variety of agents than adults as their brains and immune systems are still developing, so you can't say the risk would be equal for a small adult as for a child." At places where the signal is weak the EM waves are stronger which can increase the adverse effects on the signals emerging from the Brain. Movement enhances attention and learning ability and Technology use restricts movement, which can result in delayed development

Physiological: Using the handheld devices for more than 4 hours a day or continuously for more than 1 day at a time involves using only one part of the body which is catastrophic. Repetitive strain disorder is one of the most common problems that the doctors are treating for the people in the IT sector. Doctors have reported that the pain due to excessive use of keyboard/ touch screen punching starts from the wrist which is ignored until it reaches the shoulders and the neck. Most of the people with excessive use of these devices report frozen shoulders and cervical spondilytis. Let us not talk of obesity in all age groups which is caused by reduced physical activity. Excessive strain in the eyes force users to take rest which is not needed for the entire body resulting in accumulation of fat. Children using the device in their bedrooms have 30% increased incidence of obesity. It is alarming that 30% of obese children can become diabetes, resulting in higher risk for early stroke and heart attack. The future children may be the first generation many of whom will not outlive their parents.

Psychological/ Emotional: All parents have seen children going dozing with a book and widely awake with a phone/tablet. Not only children even adults can be wide awake with a electronic gadget in their hand than with a book. This causes sleep deprivation deprived to the extent that their grades and the efficiency are detrimentally impacted. Technology overuse is implicated as a causal factor in rising rates of child depression, anxiety, attachment disorder, attention deficit, autism, bipolar disorder, psychosis and problematic child behavior. Many websites pupup contents that can be termed as highly objectionable for any age groups and can aggression. Children are increasingly exposed to rising incidence of physical and sexual violence in today's media.  There is a raging debate to redefine Juvenile because of the over exposure of violence and freely available pron. Because of more attachment to technology, parents are detaching from their children and results aggressive and insensitive to the pain of fellow human beings. They may forget to being human.

Financial: India has become a huge dumping ground for the electronic junk generated from many countries creating serious environmental hazard. The harmful chemicals get seeped into the ground polluting the air and water. This causes serious health issues for which the Govt has spends huge sums. Most of the families advance their decisions to buy handheld devices and other electronic devices knowing very well that the technology becomes obsolete very quickly. The “attractive” EMI schemes lay a eternal trap to make people perennial debtors. Many financial companies are happy to lend to electronic devices knowing very well that the same debtors come back for the next “latest” device early. It is reported that youths in China are selling one of their kidneys to get the latest iPhone. The media driven craze and hype for “latest” (to be outdated within six months) handheld devices is causing a heartburn for the parents who cannot afford for the assumed high lifestyle of the progeny.

Time: Yes, life cannot exclude the electronic handheld devices altogether. The world has shrunk because of these devices. But the spare time for our own parents and progeny has decreased. We have seen photos lovers / friends / parents sitting in a park trying to message someone else who is away ignoring the ones sitting next. Considering that 37% of the life is on sleep and another 50% for office and necessary work if the remaining 10-13% a day is spent on these devices then why do we need parents/spouse/ children/ friends/ relatives? Think it over….. The standard recommended for usage for handheld devices for various age groups is as follows:

      With useful data from WHO website.

Pranayama and life span

Pranayama and life span.

The theory in any religion is that life is number of breaths and not number of years. Eg. 1000000 breaths can be taken in 40 years or even 120 years. We know that everybody says “He breathed his last”.

Every cell in your body needs oxygen for its metabolic processes without which we die. We have to ensure that those blood cells carry it to every nook and cranny of your body. When your lungs fill, the air passes through all the branches of the bronchi into the tiniest air sacs, which are called alveoli. The alveoli are the structures where oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange. This basic science that we all know happens while we breath. But Yoga has a different view of this breathing process. By breathing we do not exchange air or oxygen, we inhale life… Prana. The system of breathing in ancient science of Yoga is Prana ayama. Pranayama.

What can we derive from this table:

Animal	Breathing rate,  breaths/min	Average Life span,  years
Giant Tortoise	4	150
Whale	6	111
Elephant	4-5	70
Human being	12	75-80
Horse	10-15	50
Chimpanzee	14	40
Monkeys	32	18-23
Dogs	20-30	10-20
Shrew	140-170	1
House mouse	95-160	1.5-3

Now the picture will be clear. Slower the breathing, longer will be the life span.  The research estimated though that prehistoric humans who did lot of the manual work involving fast and shallow breathing lived about 25-30 years. As time passed by hunting food was not the main job of the human being and the life span slowly increased, aided with the invention of medicine and an intelligent way of living and resting.

Pranayama is the 4th limb of Ashtanga Yoga of Patanjali which teaches us how to breath. This is specified after Yama, Niyama and Asana. Once the first three are practiced a person can enter this world of slow breathing i.e. Prana and ayama. Prana means life and ayama means stretch. There are many types of pranayama and the intention of this article is not to explain them, but importance of slow breathing explained in Pranayama.

Breathing frequency per minute comes down as tranquility grows. Around 30% of the blood that is pumped by the heart is carried to the brain to energise each and every cell and the neurons in the medulla oblongata. Breath and mental calmness are inter-linked. Pranayama which is also a system for conscious breathing where breathing does change of being involuntary to controlled voluntary action. Practicing this will reduced mental activity of the brain and vital organs of the body thereby requirement of blood pumped through the heart. Once heart slows down lungs relax and the breath slows down for maintenance of the minimal activity of the body.

It is known that breathing frequency of students, labourers are very high whereas that of teachers and of senior management are relatively low. The cortisol levels in the body once increased by stress and tension forces the adrenalin to release more hormones for the fight or flight response. Stress and anger is the first enemy which increases the brain activity for wasteful process. This invariably increases the heart rate and thereby breath rate. The number of breaths becomes more to ensure more oxygenated blood to the brain usedup in this process of agitated  and fast thinking.

When you notice your heart rate is increased, be conscious and focus on your breath. Try the various Pranayama techniques to decrease your breathing rate. The goal of Pranayama is to decrease your heart rate and stress levels by stabilizing CO2 levels in your blood, maximizing oxygen levels in your blood, increasing oxygen saturation in cells, and lowering your blood pressure. These processes in the body will lower the concentration of stress hormones in your body. By getting more oxygen into your lungs and then into your bloodstream, muscles will have more blue blood and heart will be slower and with less effort.  Nest the brain sends signals to hormone-producing organs to slow down release of stress hormones.

During meditation when the mind is comparatively focussed and relaxed, the breathing rate further goes down. By regular practice of Pranayama it is possible to bring down normal breathing rate. This directly ensures that health becomes the paramount concern thereby increasing the liufespan.