Spending too much time connected to the internet would harm the immune system and increase the risk of catching infections, according to the results ofa study published by the English site DailyMail.
Scientific studies follow one another to recall the harmful effects on health of time-consuming screen consumption. Sleeping troubles, school problemsand early mortality, the screens have bad press. This new study tells us that the more time we spend online, the more likely we are to get sick.
Screen abuse harms the immune system
Researchers from Swansea University in Wales and those from the University of Milan (Italy) conducted a study with 500 participants aged between 18 and 101 years. Of the volunteers, 40% admitted to being addicted to the web. The scientists observed that, on average, the participants were connected to the Internet for 6 hours a day. But, some of them were spending 10 hours online every day, mostly on social media.
The results of the study showed that web addicts had 30% more symptoms of flu or common cold than those who said they were less dependent on the Internet.
The researchers would explain this phenomenon by the stress generated offline. “This alternation (“connected-disconnected”) leads to a cycle of stress and relaxation that can cause the level of cortisol, a hormone affecting the immune system, to fluctuate,” explains Professor Roberto Truzoli of the University of Milan. Even if men (more porn movies and games) and women (social networks and shopping) do not use the Internet in the same way, the effects would be identical on their health. “No matter what you use the Internet for, if you spend too much time on it, you are more vulnerable to illness,” said Professor Roberto Truzoli.
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