Tuesday, July 2, 2019

Mobile Phones – Potential Health Risks and Safety Tips



Widespread use and importance of wireless telecommunications has made us fully dependent on mobile phones. No doubt mobile phones provide unmatchable utility and 24x7 connectivity across the globe, but have we ever thought about the dangerous health risks offered by excessive use of mobile phones?

Woman talking on phone
Photo by Anastasia Leonova on Unsplash


Since the advent of wireless technology, mobile phone industry has grown leaps and bounds. The mobile phone users are expected to cross over 5 billion numbers by end of 2019. This means that approx. 70% of the world population owns the mobile phone. This clearly means that practically every house-hold across the world owns a mobile phone.

The connectivity and other benefits offered by mobile phones have made us use them mindlessly. In fact, not having our mobile phones with us just for few minutes can make us really anxious.

The excessive use of mobile phones offers health risks which have been identified by the modern medical science. Though many of these potential risks like cancer, blood brain barrier, male fertility, electromagnetic hypersensitivity etc are still to be scientifically proven yet doctors across the world agree not to ignore these risks till they are fully proved or disapproved.

Mobile phones use radio waves for transmitting communication signals from one place to another. These waves are of varying frequencies and energies and have potential to penetrate in biological tissues thus causing heating of tissues and other potential effects which are being studied currently.


Given the high risks, it is prudent to take certain precautions to protect our health. The below tips will come handy for everyone –      



1. Talking on mobile – This poses a great risk given that we keep our phone very close to our ear and forehead while talking on it. Apart from any potential harmful hazards that we really don’t know, the visible effects include heating of skin, head-ache, pain in ears etc.

Tip – To avoid any potential and visible risks, it’s always better to use hands-free or ear-phones to stay away from the radio-waves emitted by mobile phones. Alternatively, use speak-phone as far as possible.

Person holding black iphone 5S
Photo by freestocks.org on Unsplash


2. Keeping mobile phone in pockets – This could be really risky given that your mobile phone periodically emits radio signals even when it is not being used. Keeping phone in pocket get the vital organs our body exposed to these radiations.

Tip Keep your mobile on table while at office or home. Place it in the bag if you are travelling


3. Using mobile in car or any enclosed areas – Using mobile phone in car or any enclosed areas generally amplify its signal which increases the strength of radiations many-fold.

Tip Avoid use of mobile phones at such places. Tell people that you will revert back shortly in case you are travelling in car.


4. Giving mobile phone to kids – This is really serious. Children should never be giving regular access of mobile phones. Given that the children’s bones are thin, there is high chances of radiations to penetrate in tissues and cause potential damage.

Tip Don’t allow Children to make use of your mobile phones at all unless absolutely necessary. Make them to develop habits to spend their time somewhere else including outdoor sports, reading etc

 Photo by Tim Gouw on Unsplash


5. Using mobile when signal is low – The weaker the signal indicated on the cell phone, the stronger your cell phone will try to reach to that weak signal. In this process, your body will be exposed to highest level of radiations which may be extremely dangerous.


Tip Simply try avoid using your mobile phone if you are in a place where signals are weak



6. Keeping mobile near while sleeping – Most of us keep our mobile near our bed while sleeping. This could be risky given mobile periodically receives and emits radiations even if it is not in use. It is also placed nearby for purpose of giving morning alarm.

Tip Keep the mobile in some corner and away from your bed. If you want to use it for morning alarm purpose, keep it in the flight mode to avoid radiation effects.  


Woman lying on bed while using mobile phone
Photo by Boudewijn Huysmans on Unsplash


Apart from using the above tips, it may be a great idea to identify certain times/tasks during the day when you don’t carry your mobile with you. Depending on your convenience, you may decide not to carry it with you during walk/jogging, going to gym, doing shopping etc.

The idea is to stay away from the radiations in order to avoid any health risks associated with it.

It would be great to hear your ideas to minimize the exposure of mobile phones. Post your feedback in the comments section.


Happy Reading!!