Title: Effect of Mobile Phone on Sleep and Its Homoeopathic Management
Author: Dr. Avani Roy
Publication Date: 24 July 2023
INTRODUCTION
Mobile phone has become an important part of our lives. It is a mode of communication and more than that a cell phone is also known as a cellular phone or mobile phone. Primarily, it connects its users to communicate anywhere in the world. Now mobile phones have replaced landline phones, cameras, radios, computers, and calculators, etc. Cell phones have become the ‘need of human beings’. This is the reason why there is an increase in the importance of cell phones over the past decades.
There are about 80 crore cell phone users and around 4.5 lakhs of cell phone towers installed to provide communication in India. People are always busy with their phones. They are always engaged mainly in games or in social media. Many problems that arise due to over use of mobile phones are firstly, The Health. Continuous and long-term exposure to low-intensity electromagnetic radiations may have negative impact on the biological system of our mental health affecting our memory and cognition. Due to the vast growth of mobile phone users throughout the world at a faster pace, the effect of mobile phone radiations on our mental health is a subject of great concern. Cell phone addiction is not yet classified as a psychological disorder. The problem is caused by excessive and improper use. People misuse the social media. So many cases of bullying have been reported over the internet. First it begins with ‘chatting and ends up with cheating’. Excessive use of social media disconnects us with our families and friends. Mobile phones can act as both a boon and a bane. Though mobile phones make our life easy by providing simple means of communication and by various other applications, yet its improper use makes us lazy and it affects our health.
EFFECT ON SLEEP: –
Insufficient sleep is a serious health issue. Insomnia is the most severe clinical manifestation of recurrent and chronic perceived sleep dissatisfaction, difficulty in falling asleep and staying awake despite having an adequate opportunity to sleep. This, if occurs several times a week, results in sleep difficulties, attention, concentration and memory problem along with mood stability problem.
Further, sleep disturbances tend to be chronic with 88% of people with a previous history of the same complaint. Sleep disturbances are frequently comorbid with other mental conditions. Poor sleep quality is closely associated with lifestyle habits including use of cell- phones. Today, mobile phone is one of the important factors that can affect the sleep quality if overused. Moreover, the poor sleep quality is related to increase risk of physical and mental disorders and closely associated with lifestyle habits including excessive use of cell-phones.
Various mobile applications offer effective ways to improve one’s lifestyle, for example, by increasing physical activity, weight control, and treating obesity.
On the other hand, mobile phone use can cause physical and psychological health problems when used excessively. It is reported that cell-phone use in bed at night negatively impacts sleep outcome. This may be due to exposure to bright light from electronic devices, disturbing the circadian rhythm and then sleep.
However, there are only few studies examining the relationship between hours of mobile phone use per day and health problems among peoples. Focusing on overall hours of cell- phone use per day and hours spent per purpose of use may solve the problem.
Various studies in public health garnered that the overuse of mobile phones was associated with current stress, symptoms of depression.
This is an issue for those people who are virtually glued to their cell phones. Another health concern is people’s emotional reliance on cell phones, leading to distress and even physical symptoms when one’s phone gets damaged or is lost.
HOMOEOPATHIC MANAGEMENT
Coffea Cruda
It is excellent remedy for sleeplessness arising from persistent thoughts in mind. The person is very restless at night with palpitations and nervousness. It is very good medicine in children who are wakeful at night and are sleepless due to constantly viewing their social media accounts for the likes, comments while in bed, making them difficult to fall asleep. It is also well indicated for early waking from sleep (usually around 3:00 am) with difficulty in falling asleep again. sleeplessness during recovery from some illness. This medicine is also useful in cases of disturbed sleep from excessive dreams.
Ignatia Amara
Ignatia is very useful medicine for insomnia due to extreme shock, grief, or emotional stress for example in this case, from cyber bullying and blackmailing. When patient is very moody, jerks his limbs while sleeping. It is useful in depression and full of worries always sigh while emotional stress and wants desire to be alone. Hypersensitive to light, noise, and emotion. Excessive thinking about past events, sob, and an indifferent to everything.
Arsenic Album
This is a useful remedy for sleeplessness with anxiety and restlessness from excessive usage of mobile phones/social media, thus disturbing their daily lifestyle. Excessive use of mobile also disturb their academics, making them more anxious and in worse cases, may lead to suicide. Worry about health, future and family especially after midnight. Restlessness, unable to sit quietly moves from one place to another. Sleep with head raised by cushion and hands over head. Asphyxiate fits while sleeping. Person with fear of darkness loneliness with disturbed sleep.
Passiflora Incarnata
It is suitable medicine for sleeplessness in old age and infants with disturbed sleep in initiation and maintaining and remains awake, restless at night. Restlessness and wakefulness, resulting from fatigue especially in the weak, infants and the aged. Mentally confused, and anxious overworked, with inclination to convulsions with nocturnal cough.
Opium
It is a remedy for insomnia where a person feels as if sleepy but is unable to sleep remain wakeful for longtime due to excessive use of mobile phone/ social media causes restless at night with constant move one place to another and fall quickly without control in bed. Great feeling of being sleepy and falls into a heavy sleep. Profound stupor with loss of breath on falling asleep. Persistent vegetative state. Abnormal behavior like grasping and picking at imaginary object as well as own clothes. Very sleepy, but unable to sleep due to slight noise, cocks crowing, keep him awake. Dreams of cats, dogs, black forms Pleasant, fantastic, amorous dreams. Person feels as if bed feels so hot cannot lie on it.
Kalium Phosphoricum
It is one of the very good medicine for insomnia from worry, bullying at schools, college or workplaces, business troubles, etc. The patient is very restless during sleep and yawning but unable to sleep. The patient may have feeling of heat while sleeping. It is a good medicine for sleep walking or somnambulism. Weak and tired feeling with extreme prostration arising from neurasthenia, mental and physical depression. The common causes of sleeplessness are usually from excitement, overwork, using mobile phone/social media and worry.
REFERENCES:
- Kaplan and Sadock’s Synopsis of Psychiatry 11 Edition (English, Paperback, unknown)
- Boericke W; New Manual of Homoeopathic Materia Medica & Repertory with Relationship of Remedies (English, Hardcover, Boericke William MD)
About Author:
Dr. Avani Roy – MD Scholar ( Department of Psychiatry)
Co-Author: Dr. Santosh Hande – HOD, Department of Psychiatry (Government Homoeopathic Medical College & Hospital, Bhopal(MP) )
