10 Places It’s Not a Good Idea to Keep Your Phone
Today it’s difficult (if not impossible) to find a person without a phone. We’re
attached to them like a leech and keep them in our hands at all times. We take them with
us everywhere, even in the shower and in bed. However, keeping your phone in some places
can be really dangerous for your device and, even worse, for your health.
Bright Side has created a list of 10 places where you shouldn’t keep your phone.
10. In your back pocket It’s definitely way more comfortable to
carry your phone in the back pocket of your pants, but it can also be really dangerous.
First of all, it’s too easy to break the phone’s screen because many people forget
that about having it in their back pocket and end up sitting on their own phone. This
can be pretty costly since most phones today have really expensive screens. For example,
if you break the screen of an iPhone X, it’ll cost you about 60% of the price of the whole
phone just to replace the screen! Another problem with keeping your phone in
your back pocket is that it’s so easy to steal. It doesn’t even take the most experienced
or smoothest pickpocket to steal something from your back pocket. It’s like taking
candy from a baby! Also, because most phones nowadays have touchscreens,
there’s a chance that you could accidentally dial an emergency number and not even realize
it. Did you know that 30% of all calls to 911 are accidental?
And the last problem is the fact that sitting on your device can cause pain in your back,
legs, and stomach. So how about skipping on keeping your phone in your back pocket?
9. In your front pocket Nope, don’t keep it in the front pocket
either! This is especially for the gentlemen out there. Since most guys don’t carry bags,
they often put their phones in the front pocket of their pants or jeans. But doing this can
have a really negative effect on men’s health. (I bet we’ve got your attention now!) A
recent study from the University of Exeter has proven that the electromagnetic radiation
emitted by phones adversely affects the quality and quantity of sperm. The longer a man keeps
his phone in his pants, the higher the risk. So, no matter how important your cell phone
is to you, you should think twice before putting it in the front pocket.
8. In your bra The ladies aren’t safe either, so listen
up! Even though there’s still no consensus about whether or not cell phone radiation
causes cancer, we recommend keeping your phone away from your breasts. Just in case...
7. On your hip According to research at Turkey’s Süleyman
Demirel University, carrying your phone near your hips actually weakens the hip bones.
The scientists measured the bone density of 150 men who carried their phones on their
hips regularly. Their bone mineral density was slightly lower on the side where they
kept their phones than on the other side. It’s still not quite clear if this difference
is because of the phones, but it’s the most probable reason.
6. Against your skin Don’t hold your cell phone against your
skin because when you do this, bacteria from the screen (that you touch with your hands,
which touch the world around you!) get right on your face. And, fyi, it’s believed that
the touchscreens on our phones are dirtier than public toilets! Hey, sorry for the gross
fact, but someone’s gotta be the bearer of bad news! Besides, the electromagnetic
radiation gets even closer to you, which can’t be good. So you’re probably wondering how
you can talk on the phone without all that nasty stuff? Make sure you leave around ½
an inch between your device and your face.
5. On the charger No, charging the phone doesn’t harm your
health (unless you’re too close to the phone and its electromagnetic radiation). But it’s
better not to leave your cell phone charging overnight. This can shorten the life of the
phone’s battery and reduce the battery’s efficiency. By the way, you can watch our
video about 15 mistakes that shorten the life of your phone! We’re sure you’ll find
it useful!
4. In cold places If it’s cold outside and the temperature
drops below zero, you should take special care of your phone. Don’t leave it on the
street or in the car for a long time. Such a difference in temperature is bad for gadgets
because when you bring your device into a warm place, condensation forms, and this can
lead to problems with the internal bits of the phone. Another problem is that your phone
can simply turn off in cold weather. The latest phones today have a special feature in their
operating systems that, in order to protect the battery, automatically turn the phone
off. The best thing you can do for your phone is buy a special insulated phone case or avoid
exposing it to vastly differing temperatures.
3. In hot places Your high-tech devices are more vulnerable
than you think. They can’t stand high temperatures either. On really hot days, we don’t recommend
leaving your phone in the car or on the beach because the battery may overheat and even
explode! Also, don’t keep your phone on the windowsill because direct sunlight can
make your super expensive screen dull. And how are you supposed to check out the newest
car memes with a screen you can barely see? Think about that!
2. In the stroller Sometimes moms in a hurry throw their cell
phones in their baby strollers without a second thought. But maybe they should think twice
because research published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health suggests
that it could be unsafe for children. The study claims that cell phones can cause behavioral
problems like hyperactivity and attention deficit disorder. Again, there’s no direct
evidence yet, but do you really want to take the risk?
1. Under your pillow There are several good reasons not to keep
your phone under your pillow. The first one is that even at night you probably get some
notifications that light up your screen. The more light there is at night, the less melatonin
your body produces. If you didn’t know, melatonin is your body’s “sleep” hormone
and helps your brain switch off at night. So you can probably guess that a low level
of melatonin leads to problems with sleep, which eventually leads to other serious health
and social issues. Another reason is that over long periods of
time, electromagnetic radiation can cause headaches and dizziness. If your phone is
right under your pillow at night, well, that’s just easy access to your head.
And last but not least, there have been cases of phone explosions and fires, and when you
cover your phone with a pillow, you increase the chances of this. A phone gives off heat
when charging and the heat can’t escape from under the fabric of a pillow. It’s
better to charge your device away from yourself, your bed, and other people. Besides, what’s
so important on your phone that you need to keep it under your pillow while you’re sleeping?
Can’t it wait till morning?
Do you know any other places where it’s not okay to keep a phone? Tell us in the comments
section below! And now, here’s our bonus: How to use your
phone without damaging your posture. Poor posture is becoming the scourge of the
early 21st century. A person who is constantly in a hunched-over position can seriously damage
their spine. Because of our constant use of smartphones and other handheld gadgets, many
people can spend as much as four hours a day in an unnatural and damaging position.
Research has shown that a person’s posture can influence their emotional outlook. An
individual suffering from clinical depression often assumes a pose that has been dubbed
the iHunch. In the past, it was predominantly the elderly who sought medical help for back
problems, but now doctors are witnessing this particular problem "grow younger."
Main features of the iHunch: a stretched-out neck, sunken shoulders, arms drawn into the
torso. Assuming the correct posture all the time
can lead to an increase in productivity at work and a higher resistance to stress. You
should look at your device by lowering your eyes rather than bending your neck. It's better
to lift up the screen.
Also, follow five simple rules that reduce the risk of back problems:
1. Periodically move your head from side to side slowly, stretching your muscles.
2. Massage your shoulders, the side muscles in your neck, and the area between your shoulder
blades. 3. Stand in a doorway, stretch out your arms,
and bend your thorax. This will help relax the muscles that become fixed in one position
for a long time when using a smartphone. 4. If you use your phone for more than ten
minutes, press your chin to your neck and squeeze together your shoulder blades. Repeat
this exercise several times, holding the position for ten seconds.
5. Every time you use a smartphone, remember that the correct posture can help you avoid
many health problems in the future.
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