Harmful Effects of Technology
Long periods of inactivity
Technology requires us to be seated for many hours. For a healthy life we are required to take 10000 steps per day. When we are seated for countless hours we do not make the time for natural physical exercise such as playing, walking and sports. This inactivity causes weight gain as we are not doing any physical activity. Inactivity also causes us to make unhealthier food choices. We chose fast and convenient foods, such as "TV dinners" so we can get back to our technology. Also, the correlation of technology and inactivity, in extreme cases can result in muscle degeneration and organ failure as being in a seated position for long periods of time is un-natural.
Literary Work
Eye Strain
The average Canadian spends 11 hours a day on technology. This means spending 11 hours staring at harmful blue light rays emitted from the screen. The strain on our eyes can cause blurred visions, dry eyes, and headaches. A study conducted reports that 32.2% of people suffer from digital light strain and require glasses to combat this issue.
Insomnia
Increased time on technology is also closely linked to insomnia. The blue ray light emitted from our screens halts the production of melatonin; a chemical produced that help us relax and sleep. When this chemical is not being produced it throws our sleep cycle off resulting in insufficient sleep and poor quality of sleep. With more than 80% of people using technology an hour before bed it is no surprise that 30% of the population suffers from insomnia.
Conflict of real world
Radiation/ Cancer
The correlation between cell phone usage and certine types of cancers has become incredibly alarming. Mobile devices emit harmful radio wave radiation. The human body absorbs the foreign form of radiation. The radiation damages our DNA resulting in increase risk to certain cancers.
Mental Health
Technological advancements such as social media has become a part of our daily lives. More than 77% of the population has reported to have one form of digital media. In many cases social media is one of the leading causes of depression and anxiety. Social media not only isolates and makes us feel lonely but also bombards us with perfect imagery. Social media sets the standards of normality to be unattainably high. This results in people to develop bad self image and in extreme cases develop depression and anxiety . .
Child Development
Video games have become a popular pastime amongst many children. Many video games display violent and gruesome imagery. Studies show that youth who are exposed to violent media become more numb to violence and develop more aggressive behaviour .
Example of superstitions
Repetitive injury
Although we are seated for a good part of our day, the use of technology requires a lot of physical repetitive movement. Typing on the computer or texting on the phone causes a lot of strain on the wrist. This causes the tissue in our wrists to swell, making movement painful. This is known as carpel tunnel syndrome.
Conclusion
Technology advancements have become the new normal in our society. Our daily lives are constantly touched by technology. Although there are many positives to technology, our mental and physical health have been negatively impacted with extreme use of technology. People remain inactive for long periods of time which causes us to be in one position. This is not natural for the human body and may result in a strained neck, muscle degeneration and in some extreme cases organ damage. Long periods of sitting and inactivity can also result in weight gain as we are not moving our bodies for hours on end. Technology requires us to have lots of small and repetitive movements casing carpitunel syndrome. Technology is also a strain to the eyes as the bright flashy light can cause blurred vision, dry eyes, and head aches. Increased time on technology is also linked to insomnia, as the blue light admitted reduces our body's ability to produce sufficient amounts of melatonin; A chemical produced that helps us relax and sleep. Technology also has very damaging psychological impacts on our mental health. Social media constantly bombards us with perfect images, setting unrealistic standards of normality. This results in a bad self image, depression and anxiety. Technology also has a huge impact on child development. Children are constantly playing violent video games causing children to develop aggressively. Finally, technology has also been linked to cancers in the body due to radiation emitted.