Wireless devices emit dangerous electromagnetic frequency radiation, and may lead to memory decline in young adults.
Invisible Danger: Teen cell phone use is often linked to rising rates of depression. Constant screen time and social media can lead to anxiety, poor sleep, and lower self-esteem. Some studies also suggest potential long-term risks from radiation exposure, though more research is needed.
Teen Phone Use May Cause Memory Problems
Wireless devices like cell phones can emit high amounts of electromagnetic frequency radiation, and unsuspectingly some young adults are seeing a decline in memory after spending long hours on wireless devices.
Could the use of cell phones and laptops cause of some sort of memory problem for teens?
Excessive screen time for babies or uncontrolled, limitless access for teens may cause developmental side effects.
All cell phones give off energy in the form of radiofrequency electromagnetic fields, or RF-EMFs. Radio and TV broadcasts also use this type of energy -so do microwave ovens and some other gadgets.
For a phone, that energy carries information, in the form of calls or texts between phones and cell phone towers. That radiation also can travel into people’s bodies as they use their phones, and shockingly some of its energy can be absorbed by the body.
So far, scientists have not shown that radiation from phones causes harm and that research is ongoing, says the Federal Communications Commission.
The Study
A study performed by Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute resulted in linking decreased memory performance in teens with exposure to prolonged cell phone use.
The study had around 700 participants, ages spanning from 12 to 17 years old, ranging from grades 7 through 9 in urban and rural areas of Swiss-German speaking Switzerland.
The teens participated in memory tests one year apart and had one minute to memorize 13 pairs of abstract shapes. They were then shown an item from each pair and had to match it with one of the five choices.
From the results obtained during the research, teens that held their cell phones on the right side of their head scored poorly on the test. These results are linked with the figural memory located in the right hemisphere of the brain.
Martin Röösli, Ph.D., from Swiss TPH stated, “This may suggest that indeed RF-EMF absorbed by the brain is responsible for the observed associations.” A conclusive finding is pending as more research needs to be done to rule out other factors.
Radio Frequency Exposure
RF-EMF exposure is still very dangerous and continuous studies are being done to verify the extent of the dangers.
“Younger children are exposed to impossible beauty standards earlier, as well as the anxiety that can come with knowing exactly what their friends are doing at any point,” explains Lazar. “Lives are curated and can look picture perfect on social media, presenting an overall unrealistic expectation of what happiness is.”
This may also be one reason why some teens develop anxiety and depression symptoms with excessive screen use.
In the meantime, to minimize risks to the brain, use headphones, place calls using speakerphone, and reduce screen time to help protect your teen.
Resources for EMF in Teens and Adults
Cellular Maps (USA)
Tommy Armstrong