Laptop - On Top of Lap or Not?
The laptop is an electronic device that is found in every one's house and everyone in a family has it. As the word 'Laptop' goes, it means, 'to be kept on top of a lap', and it is a practice that everyone follows. It does give ease of access because you can carry it easily and whenever you don't find a suitable place to keep it, then your lap is always with you. Laptops really do have endless benefits, but are there any disadvantages if it is kept on your lap for a long time? Comment down what you think and where you place your laptop. So, it turns out that it does have some serious side effects if kept on your lap for a long time and here are a few reasons why you should avoid this general practice: -
A) IT CAN LEAD TO CERTAIN TYPES OF CANCER
Many people believe that Cancer is either caused by genetic factors, or smoking, chewing tobacco, but did ever think that your most favorite laptop may cause it? Give it a thought and comment down what you think.
Well, whatever you may think, it does cause it. Swiss researchers, Drs. Andreas Arnold and Peter Itin from University Hospital Basel found that a hot laptop could lead to skin damage on your lap, and that might even develop into skin cancer.
The claim was supported by dermatologist Anthony J. Mancini, who said that prolonged skin inflammation can potentially increase the chances of squamous cell skin cancer, which is more aggressive than the more common form of skin cancer. As the laptop is commonly placed over the lap, which is close to their reproductive organs, it can possibly cause testicular and ovarian cancers, so choose wisely!
B) IT CAN HARM THE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS
A laptop looks like a decent, slim, black colored notebook kind of a thing, but can you think that it can cause harm to your reproductive organs? This is so because it constantly receives wireless internet signals (microwaves), every time you are using the internet, which is most of the time, either from your phone or the Wi-Fi modem because a laptop needs to have an internet connection for it can not generate its own, like a mobile phone. While receiving microwaves, it generates EMFs or Electro-Magnetic Fields.
Its proximity to your reproductive system can pose risks to a male user’s sperm count and a female’s egg release. Researchers in Argentina found that holding a laptop on the legs, near the testes, damages the DNA of sperm cells, suggesting the harmful nature of laptop radiation on male reproductive capacity.
Additionally, a study conducted by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine found that holding a laptop on your lap can affect fertility by stating - “To our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate the direct impact of laptop use on human spermatozoa. Ex vivo exposure of human spermatozoa to a wireless internet-connected laptop decreased motility and induced DNA fragmentation by a non-thermal effect. We speculate that keeping a laptop connected wireless to the internet on the lap near the testes may result in decreased male fertility.”
C) IT CAN CAUSE NECK AND BACK PAIN
Whenever we keep our laptop on our lap, we have to lookat the laptop at an angle of depression, for it is placed lower than out eye level. To look at it, we bend our neck to a great extent. Prolonged bending of neck not only causes neck pain but also causes back pain too as they both are linked with each other. Even if you don't keep your laptop in direct contact with your lap, and think that you are safe now, think again, you aren't, for it will definitely affect your neck and back.
A simple solution to this problem is to keep your laptop on a table, or a surface that is close to your eye level and is a hard one. This way you can still use it without causing any harm to your body.
D) IT CAN CAUSE SLEEPING PROBLEMS
There you would have bee times when you are about to sleep with your laptop on the side table and you get a notification about a mail that has just come. Comment down what you do if this happens. Most people check the laptop and make a big mistake. If you say you don't do it, then wait for a minute. If the laptop screen is the immediate thing you see in the morning, then again, you make a mistake.
This is so because the artificial light from screens that is now within eye-level can suppress the release of melatonin, a hormone that helps you sleep, hampering your sleep.
E) IT CAN LEAD TO PREGNANCY ISSUES
Prolonged laptop use, that too on the lap or near the belly, can affect women’s fertility and ability to reproduce. It can delay egg production and can make it extra difficult for them to conceive. If a lady has successfully conceived yet continued to use the laptop on their laps or near the belly, the EMF radiation can cause health issues on the fetus she is carrying. When the baby is born, he/she may show signs of congenital and developmental problems.
The Environmental & Occupational Health Publication found that mothers and fetuses are exposed to higher amounts of EMRs or Electro-Magnetic Radiations by laptops than those found in close proximity of high-voltage power lines or video screens. These pregnant women who use laptops in close contact with the body are at risk of detectable impairment to the health of their offspring.
A simple way to prevent it is to stop using the laptop near the belly or on the lap.
F) IT CAN BURN YOUR SKIN
If you spend vast amounts of time reading, studying or playing games on a laptop resting on your lap, you could develop “toasted skin syndrome.” A medical report has found that placing devices like laptops next to the skin for extended periods of time can lead to an unusual-looking mottled skin condition or rash caused by long-term heat exposure.
This condition, scientifically known as “Erythema ab igne” develops over time depending on how much the laptop is used on the lap and how hot it usually gets. While the syndrome is generally harmless and resolves itself when further exposure is prevented, it can cause permanent skin coloration.
In conclusion, these are quite compelling reasons to not place your laptop on your lap, especially when you’re connected to WiFi. Try to place it on a work desk or table to keep a safe distance between yourself and the device as much as possible.
After having read the statements above, you would have decided that using laptops on lap does cause harm to your body. So stop using it on your lap and use it by keeping it on a table whose height matches with your eye level. Comment whether or not you used to keep it on your laps while working.
Tech Quiz 4 is under progress and would soon be out, till then keep learning technology and keep loving Dr. ADITech.
CREDITS: - https://www.vesttech.com/6-reasons-you-should-never-place-your-laptop-on-your-lap/
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