The laptop was invented to provide user mobility and it became extremely convenient and easier to carry around than a desktop computer. In today’s society, many people own and regularly use laptop computers, this makes it a concern to point out some negative aspects of using one, especially why you should not place your laptop on your lap.
If you’ve ever sat with a laptop on your lap, you know that your laptop can produce a lot of heat, and the longer you use it, the hotter it gets. The heat can get uncomfortable, but most people don’t realize the heat radiating from your laptop can actually damage your skin. Researchers say the skin discoloration can be permanent, and in rare cases it can cause damage leading to certain skin cancers.
Balancing your laptop on your knees could cause permanent discolouration of the skin and, in rare cases, cancer, doctors have warned.
The heat generated by the computers can cause a nettle sting-like rash – a condition named ‘toasted skin syndrome’. – from Dailymail.co.uk
Opposing the name “laptop“, there are actually several reasons why you should not place your laptop on your lap, as well as reasons why you shouldn’t use it within few hours of going to bed. Even more serious health concerns related to exposure to the electromagnetic frequencies associated with WiFi use have been reported.
Electromagnetic Fields
Most of us have heard reports about electromagnetic exposure during cell phone usage, which has raised some concerns in the past. The same theories are true for WiFi use in laptop computers. It is highly likely that when we use laptops directly on our laps, we are exposing our bodies to high levels of electromagnetic fields that certainly cannot be good for us.
Effects to Men
Study found that using your laptop on your lap, as the product is designed to be used, can lead to scrotal damage within 10 to 15 minutes. When testicles become overheated, sperm production suffers. Hours of daily use while it’s on your lap can really start causing damage to the testicles, and inhibit sperm production to a very high degree. Electromagnetic Fields are a contributing reason for women being ‘unable’ to become pregnant.
For the study – published in the journal Fertility and Sterility – researchers in Argentina obtained semen from 29 healthy men and measured sperm cells’ swimming ability after being exposed to Wi-Fi radiation from an Internet-connected laptop.
After four hours of exposure, one-quarter of the sperm were no longer swimming, Reuters reported. In comparison, 14 percent of sperm cells that had been kept at the same temperature but not exposed to wi-fi were no longer swimming. What’s more, DNA damage was more common in the wi-fi sperm than in the “control” sperm. – from CBSnews.com
Blocking the heat from your laptop can be equally important for male fertility. The heat produced by laptops is definitely not sperm-friendly.
Inability to Sleep Properly
It has been shown that light emitted by computer screens may affect users ability to sleep properly. Not only do electronics stimulate your brain which interferes with the ability to drift off to sleep, the artificial light at night time can actually mess with chemicals in the brain that help us fall asleep.
The hormone melatonin is essential in regulating our body’s internal clock and is an important part of the entire sleep cycle. Light from your laptop, when used at night, can actually substantially lower the levels of melatonin, making it difficult to fall asleep.
Conclusion
To minimise health risks associated with using your laptop, alternate laptop use with desktop use if possible to minimize Electromagnetic Field exposure. I know for most of us this isn’t an option, but technically it is an option I had to say.
Also, limit laptop use right before bedtime to promote sleep, and of course try not to use your laptop on your lap.
A good way to lessen the exposure is to place the laptop on a table or desk. By using an external keyboard, you are also minimizing the exposure to electromagnetic field by not typing on the laptop keyboard directly.
Ousman Faal [Digital Vigilante] is a Tech Entrepreneur & Digital Skills Trainer who teaches both in the classroom and online. He has experience in various technologies and likes sharing it with others. Ousman has published 149 articles on this blog. He is the CEO of Faalen Technologies and Skills.gm.
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