There are warnings everywhere about the dangers of technology. Starting in elementary school it’s preached to us through guidance counselors health classes that technology can be a dangerous tool used to bully and a field day for suspicious strangers to deceive impressional youths, but perhaps less discussed is the damage spending too much time online does to your health. It’s easy to brush off such concerns as unimportant when the topic is brought up, but you should actually be cautious about the amount of time scrolling as serious health issues could arise in your future.

If you use your electronic devices for a prolonged amount of time regularly, you probably already experience all the negative effects without really stopping to realize it. Noticeable and common health concerns include strained and dry eyes, headaches, bad posture and back pain, and sleep disturbances. You might think these aren’t very critical issues, but over time they start to add up and take a real toll on your body. Other problems stemming from too much screen time aren’t visible to see, but are still harmful and detrimental to one’s health. Addiction to devices is an actual common issue, as people seek validation and the rewarding feeling when people like your posts or tag you in memes. It’s also probably been said a million times before, but social media, especially to teens, can cause many self-confidence issues as well. Comparing yourself to the happy caricatures of friends and others online looking perfect and having fun can be disheartening, but it’s important to realize that on social media people only let you see what they want you to see and in actuality nobody’s life is as perfect as they portray it online. Young children are especially susceptible to health complications as a result of spending hours on devices. Kids now are born around devices, and it seems as time goes on the amount of young children in possession of their own cell phone seems to increase. According to WebMD, 69% of kids aged 11-14 and 31% of kids aged 8-10 have their own personal device. Device use at a young age can cause development impairments when it comes to language skills, emotional development and vision, so it’s best to moderate how much time children spend online.

There could also be potential unforeseeable health concerns that arise in the future from excessive phone usage. Although it might just sound like a crazy myth your grandma tells you at a family gathering to make you put down your phone, radiation from phones could potentially cause tumors and other such unpleasant conditions. There isn’t any sure fire proof in the subject, so only time will tell.

While this all probably sounds scary and off-putting, it’s important to note these health problems only apply in situations of extreme device use. Phones and other devices are without a doubt a necessary part of modern life, and using devices for both work and entertainment is completely understandable and expected. Although it can be a challenge, all that matters is that you moderate yourself to make sure you don’t go overboard and take a break from the screen once and awhile.