15 Tips on How to Use Your Mobile Device Responsibly

How can you use your phone responsibly?

If you’ve read any materials on EMF radiation and its possible effects, you might feel a little bit worried or afraid. Some people might even consider getting rid of their phone altogether.

The reality is that these days living without technology seems almost impossible. Our phones have become an integral part of our lives. Not many people would be willing to throw away their smartphones because of a higher probability of health problems in the long term future.

It’s hard to find someone brave enough to commit to such a drastic change, digital devices have become essential for us, enabling faster worldwide communication and the assessment of information. Nevertheless, you may have wondered if there were any ways you could minimize the possible negative effects caused by devices, by using them mindfully.

Fortunately, we have prepared a list of tips that are meant to help us reduce our radiation exposure without getting rid of the gadgets we love and without changing our lifestyle.

How to responsible use of mobile phones - our tips:

1. Avoid calls when the network signal is weak, this is when mobile phone radiation is strongest (underground stations, basements, mountains). Check the conditions of optimum signal reception, usually outdoors or near a window while inside.

2. Do not carry your mobile phone close to your body. Men should not keep their smartphones in their front pockets. Women should not keep their smartphones in their bras. Our clothes aren’t sufficient protection, so it’s better to put our phones in a bag or a backpack on the opposite side of the body.

3. Set your mobile phone to airplane mode when it is time to go to sleep, or better, leave it outside of your bedroom. Studies show that blue light, notifications, mobile phone radiation and other electromagnetic field (EMF) exposures at night can interrupt sleep cycles and contribute to a host of ailments such as heart palpitations, muscle pain, weakness, and daytime irritability. ^[1]

4. Try not to use your mobile phone in a car or elevator. The electromagnetic radiation from mobile phones is amplified by the metallic structure. ^[2]

5. Consider using a wired internet connection through Ethernet cable instead of a wireless router.

6. Turn off the WiFi when you don’t use it. We’re sure you all know that switching off the WiFi and Bluetooth can save battery but that’s not the only reason why we should do it more often. When the WiFi is on, a mobile phone is trying to reach a signal all the time, even if we don’t use it.

7. Put your phone away if you don’t need it close to you at all times. This is useful not only due to radiation but also to avoid general distractions and keep a higher level of focus or concentration.

8. Be more cautious giving your child devices. Minimize the time they play with smartphones or tablets and keep the internet off when installing offline games. It’s important as children’s skulls are less dense and their brains are smaller, which means that they absorb more radiation.^[3]

9. Use a headset or speaker mode when talking on the phone, especially if you need to hold a long conversation with someone. It will not only give your hand some rest but also help you to avoid the direct impact of harmful electromagnetic radiation near your brain. SAR values decrease with the square of the distance between your head and the mobile phone, so by using a speaker or a headset you basically minimize the effect of radiation on yourself.

10. Think about others. Avoid talking on the phone in public places like on a bus or the underground where you can passively expose others to your smartphone’s radiation. It’s also often considered rude to speak loudly on your phone on public transport.

11. Text instead of making a call whenever it’s possible. By keeping a phone in our hands we experience much less exposure than by holding it close to our head.

12. Switch sides regularly when you talk on a phone to balance the radiation exposure. Its duration affects health accordingly.

13. When buying a new smartphone choose one with the lowest SAR (Specific Absorption Rate) possible. To learn more about SAR go here: https://mobileradiation.com/what-is-mobile-phone-radiation#what-is-the-sar-value-of-your-phone

14. Consider buying approved EMF shielding clothing. There are many pieces of clothing containing silver that may protect us from radiation. You may find some nice pieces including hats, hoodies, underwear and dresses.

15. Consider using EMF shielding devices/covers/mats. There are a variety of products like laptop mats, phone cases, phone holders and earplugs available that claim to block mobile radiation. If you decide to buy one, check how much it reduces the SAR value.

As you can see, the rules we suggest are simple and it’s easy to include them in your daily routine. Believe it or not, they will make a huge difference to your health in the long run. You don’t have to stick to all of them at the same time. Start with small steps! Good luck!

Is there anything you’d like to add, have we missed anything? If you’re interested in sharing your experiences with us or writing a guest post for us, send us an email via hello@mudita.com!

Please feel free to get in touch via social media (send us some photos or videos too), you can find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, let’s connect! To learn more about Mudita, take a look at our website and our other posts.

If you enjoyed reading this article, please share and recommend it!