TV is one of the human inventions that is found in almost every home. Just 50 years ago, such household appliances were considered a luxury item, and only people with good incomes could afford to buy a TV. Nowadays you won’t surprise anyone with the presence of such equipment in the house; moreover, some families have such a device in all rooms. The harm of television to human health has already been proven, but few people remember the danger when watching the next TV series or news broadcast.
What danger comes from TV?
A couple of decades ago, it was believed that only radiation from the TV was dangerous. But now the technology has been improved and the latest television chips emit almost no radiation. But what then is the harm of TV for a person?
According to doctors, people who spend up to 2 hours a day in front of TV are less likely to develop heart and vascular diseases compared to those who spend more than 4 hours watching movies and TV shows every day.
Watching TV for a long time increases the risk of developing hypertension, diabetes, heart disease and musculoskeletal diseases. If a person spends a lot of time watching his favorite programs and films, then after a year he may notice a significant decrease in vision.
Ophthalmologists say that irreparable harm is caused to vision from watching TV. It shows up like this:
- If a person looks at the screen, then his vision focuses on just one point. Over time, this leads to deformation of the eye lens. This part of the visual organ may lose the ability to change due to constant static load.
- The screen constantly flickers, which also negatively affects the organs of vision. The pupil does not have time to adapt to the frequent changes in the picture, which leads to severe eye strain.
- On TV, each color is represented in several different shades. This greatly complicates the functioning of the organs of vision and results in chronic eye strain. As a result, vision may decline sharply.
Watching TV for a long time causes musculoskeletal disorders. A person moves little, due to which muscles and joints atrophy.
TV has a huge impact on human health. Due to prolonged viewing, vision deteriorates, muscle tone is impaired and posture worsens. In the presence of concomitant pathologies, osteochondrosis may develop. The joints become immobile, a person often notices a crunch in the legs and arms at the slightest movements.
You need to remember that watching movies for a long time can cause arthritis!
When to sound the alarm if a person watches TV for a very long time?
If we are talking about avid fans of television talk shows or computer gamers, then this can really lead to dangerous consequences. Sapego named the symptoms, when they appear, it is necessary to urgently call an ambulance. These include redness or swelling of the leg, leg pain, and unexplained shortness of breath or chest pain.
According to him, it is enough to spend two hours watching television for a serious health threat to arise. “Even two to three hours of sitting without moving can significantly increase the risk of pulmonary embolism,” the doctor noted.
If a motionless posture is accompanied by tucking and crossing your legs, then the risks increase. The expert included tight, constricting and inelastic clothing into the same category.
Appearance changes
For both adults and children, TV poses a danger in terms of weight gain. Almost all people like to chew something while watching a movie, and it’s not always vegetables or fruits. Most often, a person chooses unhealthy and quite high-calorie foods. These can be crackers, chips, hamburgers and other sandwiches. In addition, I often drink tea and coffee with pastries while watching a movie. Considering that a person sits for several hours in a row and does not expend any energy at all, such excessive eating of food is harmful. This leads to the deposition of fatty deposits, which ultimately lead to excess weight.
A sedentary lifestyle leads not only to the appearance of unattractive folds of fat, but also to the exacerbation of various diseases. If a person moves little and walks in the fresh air, then his immunity decreases and he becomes susceptible to various diseases.
It is especially harmful to eat in front of the TV late in the evening, shortly before bed, or at night, when the stomach is resting.
Center for Hygiene and Epidemiology in the Moscow Region
Civilized human life takes place under the continuous influence of electromagnetic radiation (EMR). Its sources are electronics and household appliances and, of course, wireless communications.
Radio communication is the transmission of high-frequency electromagnetic waves from a transmitter to a receiving device. Thus, every person using a mobile phone is constantly exposed to an electromagnetic field (EMF).
At a certain level, electromagnetic radiation can have an adverse effect on the health of people and other living beings, and cause problems with the operation of navigation equipment and other devices.
Staying for a long time in an area with an increased level of EMF can cause:
- 1.
Physiological disorders (nausea, headache, increased fatigue);
2.
Psychological disorders (irritability, decreased level of self-control).
3.
With a significant increase in the intensity of exposure to radio waves on the human body, the internal organs of the following systems may be affected: - endocrine; - nervous; - immune; - reproductive.
Such exposure can have extremely negative consequences for health, resulting in the development of serious diseases in a person, including oncology.
Intense exposure to EMR is especially dangerous for children, pregnant women, people suffering from diseases of the central nervous system, cardiovascular system, and allergies.
Cellular communications are built on the principle of interaction between base stations and the directly receiving device (mobile phone, tablet, navigator). The interaction is based on the transmission of an electromagnetic signal in the UHF (ultra high frequency) range.
The radius of the base station signal depends on:
- The cellular communication standard used by the operator;
- Loads;
- Building density;
- The equipment used by the operator.
Coverage of a certain area is achieved by installing cell towers based on the cell principle. Hence the name – cellular communications. The operating technology of the cellular system assumes that the maximum radiation energy is concentrated and directed away from the structures on which the base station antennas are located.
The power of the station is not constant and is regulated depending on the load on the network. Cellular base stations located outside cities are often equipped with signal amplifiers to increase its range. Accordingly, the level of EMR near such objects will be higher.
Conducted studies and measurements in the area adjacent to the place where cellular base stations are installed confirm that the EMR level is within standard values and practically does not differ from the background radiation level characteristic of a particular area.
Are towers harmful to humans?
It is safe for citizens to live in close proximity to cell towers
, If:
- The equipment is located above the nearby building area;
- The equipment parameters comply with established sanitary and hygienic standards.
If the base station signal is directly directed towards a nearby building, then such a neighborhood can be dangerous
for good health.
Cellular base station on the roof of a house
In cities with dense buildings, cellular operators are often forced to install equipment on the roofs of high-rise buildings, including residential buildings. Such actions are not prohibited by law (the installation of industrial equipment on the territory of residential buildings is not allowed, and cellular communication equipment is not one of these), but they require compliance with a certain procedure.
Equipment placement parameters must comply with established standards:
- The EMF level in the adjacent area should not exceed 10 mW/cm2;
- Depending on the radiated power, the antenna should be erected at a level of 1.5 to 5 meters from the roof surface and at a distance of 10–25 meters from other buildings;
- The possibility of people accessing the roof must be excluded.
The telecom operator must obtain permission from the supervisory authority to install the equipment, as well as the consent of the owners of the premises located in the house on the roof of which the base station is supposed to be built. The owners’ decision to approve the installation of equipment is made at a general meeting in accordance with Article 44 of the RF Housing Code, and at least two-thirds of all owners must vote for such a decision. After this, the telecom operator develops design documentation containing all the characteristics of the installed equipment, which, in turn, must be certified. The equipment is put into operation after the communications organization receives a sanitary and epidemiological certificate. Further, at least once every 3 years, control measurements of the EMF level are carried out.
In Russia, the Sanitary and Epidemiological Rules and Standards SanPiN 2.1.8/2.2.4.1383-03 are in force, approved by Resolution of the Chief State Sanitary Doctor of the Russian Federation dated 06/09/2003 No. 135. The government agency authorized to monitor the level of EMR from cellular base stations is Rospotrebnadzor. It is to this body that complaints about possible violations by telecom operators should be sent. If, as a result of the inspection, it is confirmed that the permissible level of EMR has been exceeded, then through the court officials of Rospotrebnadzor may demand the dismantling of equipment whose operation may threaten the health of citizens.
How to file a complaint with Popotrebnadzor
There are several ways:
- personal visit to the territorial department of Consumer Supervision at the applicant’s place of residence;
- sending a complaint via Russian Post by registered mail;
- circulation in electronic form via the Internet;
- filing a written complaint through the courier service;
- electronic complaint via the Internet;
It’s quick and convenient to file a complaint through the official website of the Consumer Supervision Service. This can be done from any computer connected to the Internet.
There are two types of complaints to Consumer Supervision. The first option involves an unscheduled inspection of the organization against which the complaint is made. In this case, the applicant must file a complaint on the State Services portal. If you don't have one, you need to register.
The complaint will be submitted through the official website of Rospotebnadzor, but after clicking “Write a complaint” the system will require authorization in State Services. After logging into your account, you must follow the prompts.
Please note!
A complaint followed by an unscheduled inspection of the organization is appropriate in cases where there is a real threat of an emergency situation and harm to citizens .
Mental changes
When regularly watching news, programs and films, a person becomes overly nervous and irritable. This is due to the fact that news and films are literally full of scenes of violence and various criminal showdowns. The channels are filled with various information, both useful and completely unnecessary, and over time a person becomes addicted to watching certain programs.
The blue screen affects the psyche of not only adults, but also children. Many parents turn on cartoons for their infants, and as a result, the soulless screen becomes not only a nanny for the baby, but also a teacher. According to studies, most preschoolers spend more than 4 hours a day in front of screens. The worst thing is that parents are quite happy with this and children find themselves under the influence of an uncontrolled information flow.
A seemingly harmless pastime like watching your favorite cartoons can lead to serious consequences. A child often watches TV too close and too long, which ultimately leads to the following consequences:
- vision decreases, eyes get tired quickly;
- a nervous tic develops, the baby involuntarily blinks his eyes;
- posture deteriorates;
- the psyche is disturbed.
During rapid growth, it is generally not advisable for children to spend more than an hour a day watching cartoons and films. If the baby sits more, the skeleton may not form correctly, which will lead to the development of various pathologies.
If the TV is an old model, then the child may suffer from excessive radiation, which will certainly manifest itself after a while. Such children often suffer from respiratory diseases, suffer from migraines and have problems with the endocrine system. The result of constant radiation can be more serious pathologies, for example, blood diseases.
In recent years, computers and televisions have practically replaced noisy active games, handicrafts and book reading from the lives of modern children. The child prefers to watch a cartoon instead of gatherings in a narrow family circle.
What should you do in front of the TV to avoid deterioration in health?
Doctors loudly advise that if you have prolonged contact with a computer, TV or any other gadget, get up from your seat every 30-40 minutes and do warm-up of your arms and legs, as well as visual gymnastics.
“To avoid such consequences, it is necessary to observe occupational hygiene. If a person has a sedentary job, then prevention is simple: get up from your seat every 30-40 minutes and stretch. Remember that even children are recommended to do the same. You need to walk around, stretch your arms and legs, clench and unclench your hands, relax your eyes, close them and let them rest,” concluded Zemlyanukhina.
In addition, patients who are already prescribed medications to prevent blood clots should not forget to take them in a timely manner, Sapego added.
Screen burden. How does watching TV affect people of different ages? Read more
Sources : https://ria.ru/
Effect on young children
Many families now have modern LCD screens. But, despite the fact that there is no radiation from LCD TV models, they are still potentially dangerous for adults and children.
If the adult population at least somehow appreciates what various channels offer for viewing, then children, like a sponge, absorb all the information indiscriminately. It is uncontrolled information that often influences the development and worldview of a child. As a result, many children suffer from speech problems and suffer from nervous disorders.
Teenagers form a certain model of behavior based on films and programs. Very often this model is far from ideal, since scenes of violence predominate on the screen. It is because of this that adolescents may become excessively aggressive and especially cruel.
It is not advisable to place a TV in the room of newborn children. Although such babies do not yet understand the meaning of what the blue screen shows, they can react sensitively to sharp sounds. And if the TV is an old model, then the child will also be exposed to constant radiation.
The mistake many parents make is that they turn on the TV while the child is doing homework. This prevents the student from concentrating, he becomes nervous and absent-minded.
The dangers of TV for psychological and emotional health
Even if you don't take into account the effect on the eyes, you can list many reasons why you shouldn't watch TV for a long time.
The impact on the human psyche and thinking is carried out in two directions.
- News, analytical and documentary programs demonstrate how bad and difficult it is to live in the world. Natural disasters, wars, political games, reviews of living standards in different countries - all these releases and reports set a person up for negativity. Even if everything in his life is calm and quiet, thinking about the global problems of humanity leads to the idea that there is nothing good around.
- TV series, melodramas, reviews of someone’s travels, intrusive advertising, on the contrary, show an ideal picture of the world. By comparing other people's fictional lives with one's own relationships, opportunities to travel, or having fun, one begins to look for flaws in one's own life. Women are especially susceptible to this influence: it seems to them that somewhere there is a better man, more obedient children, beautiful things and an easy, well-paid job.
Both of these factors, when watching TV for a long time and constantly, change a person’s thinking. In addition, there is a type of program that is created and released deliberately to influence people. In this case, neurolinguistic programming technologies are used, which allow the mass of the population to form a certain point of view or attitude towards something. Such programs are most popular during election campaigns.
Advice
Many programs on TV are really interesting and educational. Therefore, you should turn it on only to watch such programs, avoiding a constantly broadcast screen. When doing other things or communicating with family and friends, it is better to turn off the “box” altogether.
Parents' misconceptions about the benefits of TV
The modern world of television is large, diverse and exciting. At first glance, he has a lot to offer. But, in fact, for harmonious development, children need something completely different.
Filling them only with knowledge from the screen, often fragmentary and not age-appropriate, is absolutely ineffective and harmful. A child learns, first of all, from an adult with whom he has contact and a trusting relationship.
Reading books, walking together, observing nature, creativity, participating in the daily life of the family - these are the things that truly develop and prepare for future life. And informational television programs should only complement the learning process.
Sometimes parents stimulate and encourage non-speaking children to watch TV “so that they can speak sooner.” But the child will speak faster if you communicate with him, look at toys together and talk about everything you see around him.
Funny pictures on TV that move, make sounds and speak do not motivate them to voice them. But when a child looks at pictures in a book or holds a simple toy in his hands, he has to “make” these characters sound - out loud or mentally. First, the child pronounces primitive sounds - “kva-kva”, “bi-bi”; later, when verbs appear in speech, the plots and “speech” of toys and pictures become more complex.
With TV, you don’t need to make any effort: cartoon characters actively communicate, tell stories and move independently. The baby can only passively watch. This does not encourage speaking on your own at all.
Lack of critical perception
The main mistake of avid TV viewers is to mindlessly absorb what is served from the TV. Many people stop critically evaluating this information and passing it through their own views and system of life values. The method of obtaining it is also of great importance here - the viewer does not have the opportunity to discuss with the author of the idea, object to him, or ask for evidence.
And all this leads to the fact that a person ultimately ceases to distinguish real data from fake data, moral from immoral. And he begins to accept everything said on the screen as the final truth. And the harm from TV and computers is terribly enormous.
To make sure the above is true, remember how you feel after watching television for a long time. You invariably feel tired and sleepy. The brain refuses to work clearly, thoughts are confused. You are unable to rethink the information received. Moreover, you remember only a small part of what you heard/saw.
Where to put?
The safe distance from which you can watch TV depends on the screen diagonal and resolution . The larger the TV, the farther the viewer should sit. But at the same time, the higher the screen resolution, the less strain on the eyesight, so high-resolution TVs (FULL HD, ULTRA HD) can be viewed from a closer distance than those that support standard screen resolution (SD). For screens labeled HDReady, you must select the average value.
Diagonal | Safe distance |
22 inches | 0.9–2.5 m |
26 inches | 1–3 m |
32 inches | 1.2–3.3 m |
37 inches | 1.4–3.7 m |
40 inches | 1.4–4 m |
42 inches | 1.7–4.4 m |
46 inches | 1.8–4.7 m |
50 inches | 1.9–5 m |
What can a child watch?
A correct program or cartoon for children must have the following criteria:
- a calm and kind cartoon with unhurried action and not too quickly changing images gives the child time to think and assimilate what he sees;
- the plot should be understandable to a child of this particular age;
- Interactive programs that encourage children to answer questions are useful for children;
- Children are also developed by musical programs and cartoons that develop hearing and teach dance movements.
It is important from birth to instill in a child a taste for the wonderful art of animation and cinema, to look for interesting and educational programs together and to explore this world together. With today's access to the information space, censorship can only be our own. Parents themselves are obliged to teach their child to distinguish a bad cartoon from a good one, a stupid program from an educational one.
Aimless waste of money
Does TV do more good or harm? The question is rhetorical. But one thing is clear - this device makes you poorer. By forcing you to buy something you don’t need, often and at an inflated price.
Don't think that just turning off ads is enough. You watch films, TV series, shows where the same thing is indirectly imposed. And such influence is even more dangerous than direct calls: “Buy!” You see the image of your favorite hero. You want to be like him - right down to your smartphone, your favorite brands of clothing, perfume, and cosmetics. And you buy something that, in fact, is completely unnecessary for you. But social status, public recognition, and personal qualities cannot be gained by simply buying something. This is the result of only long and hard work on yourself.
“Black Fridays”, continuous promotions, tempting discounts are also ways to force you to buy something that is far from necessary. Or even throw away money on useless things. The harm of TV for children is that it imposes that this or that thing will make the child exceptional and happy. In fact, the joy from a trinket is short-lived. And it only creates a desire to get something new.
In what position?
The head should not tilt back - this puts extra stress on the cervical vertebrae - or lean forward - this leads to the appearance of a double chin and sagging facial contours.
Try not to sit cross-legged - this can cause blood stagnation in the veins of the lower extremities and increase the risk of varicose veins.
Change your position often . When watching TV while sitting, shift from toe to heel, move your feet in different directions.
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Information overload
Speaking about the dangers and benefits of TV, computer and telephone, one cannot help but focus on the fact that all of these together are sources of excess information. Moreover, not useful, but unnecessary, “garbage”. This is an incessant stream of series, television shows, movies, flavored with thousands of commercials.
And all this turns, in the end, into a “porridge” that the brain is simply not able to “digest.” It seems that you learned a lot of new and even interesting things. But it’s hard for you to remember what exactly.
The worst thing is that you fill your head with unnecessary information that is of no value to you personally. And human memory capabilities are limited. You simply don't leave any "slots" for anything truly valuable. Or you completely forget what is dear or useful to you.