Over the last ten years technology has made some astonishing advancements. From only being able to call, to texting, to becoming miniature computers. Uncommon knowledge can now be known within seconds with cell phones. Although these are wonderful advancements, it has helped make countless more people susceptible to overusing their cell phones without thinking twice about the harmful effects cell phones can have. This has started to affect people in different ways. For many people the overuse of cell phones has hindered their ability to stay healthy. It can cause sleep disruption which can further lead to the decease of people’s health. Young children and teens are much more susceptible to the harmful effects of cell phones and can cause children to have a dependency on cell phones, which can also affect social behaviors. With the mix of cell phone addiction and lack of sleep these factors can often lead to people showing symptoms of depression. Cell phones have a negative impact on people’s mental, physical and social health, and thus causing people's sleep patterns to be disturbed along with symptoms of depression and other symptoms that can be avoid by not using a cell phone as often.

Addiction is a scary thing, but some addictions are more talked about than others. Generation Z seems to be overcome with love for their digital devices. They never want to put them down, stop using them, or turn them off.  Generation Z has an overwhelming number of people addicted to their cell phones. Most people fear they are going to miss out on life experiences or even just gossip being passed between friends. They do not want to feel disconnected because being left out is a horrible feeling. So to never feel left out they never leave their cell phones. This in itself is a horrible mistake, but they do not know the true harmful effects cell phones can have. Generation Z relies heavily upon their cell phones to help them get by on a daily basis. Constantly checking their cell phones to use the internet to check facts they already know (Deb 236). At this level of addiction people start to experience something called phantom vibration and phantom ring. A study in Asia-Pacific Psychiatry shows, “that [phantom vibration and phantom ring] is commonly experienced by regular mobile phone users” (237). The more time people spend away from their cell phone the less phantom vibration and phantom ring will have an effect on their lives. Although many people do not seem bothered by the phantom vibration and phantom ring it is a clear sign that people are over using their cell phones. If people start to notice themselves getting the phantom vibration and phantom ring they should reevaluate their cell phone usage. At that point them might be damaging their health without really noticing and this should be their wake up “vibration”.

As the years go on, and technology develops, children are exposed to technology earlier and earlier. Parents often use cell phones to keep young children calm, quiet, and occupied on long car rides and in public outings. Not only does this start the premature addiction people have to their cell phone, it can have harmful effects on children. Parents who give children their cell phone at a young age are not bad parents, most just do not know the harmful effects. Many parents are not alone when they say they were never informed about the proper time allotment of media usage children should have as they grow up. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends “children 18 months and younger to try avoid any and all screen exposure”, and “for children 2 to 5 years of age… screen time be limited to one hour.” (Kuhn 31). The academy also states that “media usage in school or for educational purposes [should not] count when limiting a child's screen time such as when it is used for entertainment” (Kuhn 31). Although this can still contribute to kids becoming dependent on a parents’ cell phone to be pacificated.

As children get older they begin to seek more media usage and their cell phone starts to become attached to their hand. Although teens can be a little different when it comes to media usage, researchers have found they too can have an appropriate limit for cell phone usage. Oxford University believes that they have found a precise amount of time that teenagers can use their cell phones or computers that will allow them to develop stronger social skills without disrupting their health. With the regular overuse of cell phones teens sleep cycle can be disrupted. Although numerous studies have actually found Oxford’s study wrong. Oxford recommends exactly four hours and 17 minutes of screen time for teenagers (“Sweet Dreams” 60). Many teenagers tend to still go over this limit because they feel like they might miss out on things their friends are doing. Sticking to the strict time constraint can be very important at this age, because teenagers are still developing physically and mentally.

Teenagers refuse to stick to the recommended cell phone usage amount, without out and thought of the consequences. This is where cell phone use can become harmful. As many know, it is very important for growing adolescents to get a good night’s sleep. Teenagers are recommended to get seven to nine hours of sleep daily. For this to happen teens must fall asleep early and quickly to get the proper amount of sleep before waking up before school. “A study of 10,000 teenagers in Norway in 2015 showed that more than four hours of daytime screen time use meant a 49% greater risk of taking longer than 60 minutes to fall asleep" (“Sweet Dreams” 60). This same article “showed that those who used a computer in the hour before bed were three times more likely to get less than five hours sleep” (60). For growing teens sleep is a very important part of staying healthy and being able to function properly so they can learn in and out of school. Parents need to make the executive decision for their children if the risk of damaging a teenager’s sleep cycle is worth the minor social benefits cell phones can have. “[Taking] phones out of the bedroom before bedtime” can be a major advantage when trying to get a full night’s sleep (60). Overall, parents are in charge and do implement the rules. Teaching children the harmful effects cell phones can have is the only way for kids to understand why they need to be restricted on cell phone usage.

Parents have the hardest time with cell phone usages. Adults do not have a “perfect” time limit they should aim for. But parents need to realize, their children are looking up to them. Most children learn simple behavioral patterns from watching their parents (Whelan). This certainly includes cell phone usage. If a child sees their parent constantly on their cell phone as they grow up, when they finally get a cell phone of their own they will believe it is okay to constantly be on their cell phone. This is obviously impacts children much more because they have not fully learned their social skills and children are more susceptible to other harmful effects. Children are much more susceptible to the radiation cell phones admit with teens coming in second and then adults are the least effected.  This said, parents do not need to completely put down their cell phones because now a day that is not possible. Explaining to your kid that they need to use their cell phones at certain times for work or putting their cell phone away at dinner, or other family times, can help shows kids the right and wrong times to use cell phones. Another easy way to help kids learn better cell phone usage patterns is switching the ringer to silent, unless something is important this helps parents stay off their cell phone (Whelan). It also shows kids that they can ignore a few messages from their friends without being in a panic. 

Many people do not realize how harmful a cell phone can be even when it is not being used. It often feels like you do not see a person without them holding or looking at some kind of electronic screen.  “Most of the provided services by cell phones involve data transfer by sending and receiving electromagnetic waves” (Bayatiani 9). Most people know about the fact that cell phones transmit radiation but they also know it is only a small amount. The issue with this is people stop thinking about how the radiation can actually affect them. Unless the cell phone is completely off or out of the room people can still be affected by the electromagnetic waves that cell phones radiate. Having these waves being around people can cause sleep disturbances. Studies have shown that people who use cell phones have reported trouble sleeping, headaches and even dizziness (9). The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index has shown that sleep quality has a direct correlation to the excessive use of cell phones (15). Therefore, proving that the more people use cell phones or are around a cell phone can have a negative effect on their health.

Sleep is very important for people to function normally, and remain healthy physically and mentally. Not having the proper amount of sleep is often a way people slip into depression. This may not be the only reason for people to have depression, but it does not help. When people become overtired they become more sensitive to things and it becomes harder for people to see the good in their life. Another issue is young people also become stressed out and fear that they are missing something if they are not attached to their cell phone at all times. They believe everyone else is available when they are not (Thomée 10). This feeling of being left out can also makes teens feel like their friends are distancing themselves. Which can leave teens feeling like they have no one around to talk to leading symptoms of depression to appear. A study found that setting limits was a key factor for avoiding getting symptoms of depression. The people who feel stressed out by having their cell phone, such as teenagers fearing to miss out, were more likely to show symptoms of depression (10).

While depression cannot be passed from one person to another, germs can be. There is not a single cell phone in the word that is being used and remaining complete germ free at the same time. Many people do not think about how dirty their cell phones are. Nor do they think about how dirty doctor’s cell phones are. While cell phone can be tremendously helpful in the medical field they are also a very easy way to transfer bacteria. Researchers have found that even after cell phones were cleaned with 70% iso propyl alcohol over 40% of cell phones still had bacteria growing on them (Arora). This can be very harmful when doctors are touching their cell phones and then touching patients. Their patents immune system can already be weak, passing new bacteria to them can be dangerous and even life threatening. Even if you are not doctor people should still clean their cell phones more often. The number of bacteria that can be passed person to person by simply touching a cell phone and then shaking someone’s hand is inconceivable.

Most people are aware that their cell phones emit a certain amount of radiation. While some people believe that this radiation can kill you, others do not. Either way, it is common sense that radiation is bad for people and they should try their best to stay away from it. Cell phones give off systematic radiation while “living beings emit random radiation” (“Enviro Chip”). Luckily for the people who fear cell phone radiation may kill them, there is a device called the Enviro Chip. 

“It doesn't stop the radiation emanating from electronic devices, but simply converts it to random radiation… It's just made up of some specially formulated material and software that's supposed to neutralize the harmful effects of radiation that emanates from devices like [cell phones], laptops, [Wi-Fi] equipment, CPUs, monitors, etc. All you have to do is to paste the chip on a specific area of the device that you spend a considerable amount of time (4 hours) using every day” (“Enviro Chip”).

These chips could be a wise investment for people trying to limit the harmful effects of cell phones. By putting these on electronics you are around daily, like work computers and of course cell phones, these chips can subtract some damaging affects to people’s health. The company who cells these chips have conducted a couple of studies to prove that their product works. They tested the pulse rate of people and the results were a “reduction of 4-6% after using the Enviro Chip” (“Enviro Chip”). As of now these chips are not miracle working, but since they do lower peoples heart rate this can lead to a longer healthier life. 

There are people in the world who believe that owning a cell phone is going to lead them to get brain cancer, heart problems, or even just kill them without reason. Although there may be cases that this has happened, there are no credible studies to make a case to prove them right. This said that does not mean that cell phones are not bad for people’s health. There are numerous studies to prove the effects that cell phone has on people’s health are negative. Cell phones can cause several amounts of problems to people’s health, leaving no age group untouched. Starting with how if babies and toddlers how too much exposure this can expose them to too much radiation and can cause their social behaviors to decline and begin a premature addiction to cell phones. In teens overusing cell phones can also lead to their social habits being greatly affected. Teens will also start to have a dependency of their cell phones. Adults need to worry about radiation the least, but cell phone can still cause symptoms of depression and be an easy way to transmit germs. Parents especially need to focus on how much they use their cell phones around their children. They set the tone of how much cell phone use is okay. At any age cell phones can disrupt people sleep. People need to start putting their health before their phone. Realizing the correct amount of cell phone usage each person should get can greatly help. 
