Manufacturing and technology have brought us in contact with more everyday items than ever before. Some of these items, however mundane, can affect health in a myriad of ways—without you even knowing it. Let’s take a look at five everyday objects that could be damaging your health, and how to minimize these health risks. Artificial light at night Many physicians work irregular hours, often when everyone else is fast asleep in bed. As such, artificial light is a necessity to get work done. However, both night-shift work and exposure to artificial light have been linked to sleep-related health problems, including circadian disruption and melatonin inhibition—which can lead to poor sleep quality and sleep deprivation, as well as social misalignment. Researchers have also linked night shift work and exposure to artificial light to heart disease, obesity, diabetes, mood disorders, and macular degeneration across numerous epidemiological studies. In fact, the International Agency for Research on Cancer characterized shift work as a “probable carcinogen to humans” due to circadian disruption. In a review published in Life Sciences, researchers recommended the following for night-shift workers: “Behaviors that should be avoided are: exposure to light up to 30 min prior to going to sleep; [and] opting for a morning shift that starts before 07 h.” Chairs In an article published in Scientific American, endocrinologist James Levine, MD, PhD, professor, Department of Endocrinology and Nutrition Research, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, ties sitting in your office chair to a slew of health problems, including slowed metabolism, obesity, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, blood sugar spikes, and death. Yikes! Here was some of his advice to break free of sitting: “Although technologies such as computers and video games have contributed to the allure of the chair, technology can also be a part of the solution. The cell phone, for instance, enables a seated conversation to become a walking talk. A host of popular activity-sensing gadgets enable people to measure how often they sit or stand or move. Newer video games, called Exergames, link computers to physical competitions; the Nintendo Wii, which encourages movement, was a game-changer here.” Computer screens Spending hours in front of your computer screen is no good because it results in physical inactivity and interferes with your sleep. Moreover, when you look at a computer screen from less than arm’s length away, experts warn that it could result in computer vision syndrome, also known as digital eye strain. First, your eyes dry out because you don’t blink as much in front of a computer screen, which results in decreased tear film, discomfort, and blurry vision. Second, eye strain from focusing up close can lead to headaches. Here are some tips to keep prevent computer vision syndrome: Look away from the screen every 15-30 minutes and focus on a distant object for about a minute Use a matte screen filter Use a larger font Sit about 2 feet away from the computer screen Place the center of the computer monitor 4-6 inches below eye level Use artificial tears and consciously blink from time to time Use softer lighting to minimize glare Door handles It probably comes as no surprise, but door handles are often covered in various strains of bacteria, including Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Escherichia coli, and Enterococcus. What to do? Well, you can have somebody open the door for you, or use a paper towel, tissues, or even a part of your jacket to open the door yourself. Intriguingly, however, scientists are working on a more ingenious solution: Agion silver. Agion silver is an antimicrobial compound that has made the jump from catheters and heart valves to doorknobs, keyboards, electric razors, staplers, pens, cell phones, and more. On a doorknob, the sweat and oils from a person’s hand activate the silver ions in Agion silver, which then bind to bacterial cell walls, causing cell death and a cleaner surface. Toilet seats Toilet seats are universally reviled—and for good reason. Researchers have shown that toilet seats can harbor not only E. coli (obviously), but other dangerous pathogens such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), norovirus, shigella, Streptococcus, and even Ebola! However, toilet seats are, surprisingly, not nearly as dangerous as they may seem. For instance, it’s extremely unusual to pick up a sexually transmitted infection from a toilet seat. Furthermore, if you wash your hands after using the toilet, the risk of infection by exposure via the hands and mouth is low. One idea to decrease the pathogen burden on a toilet seat is to wipe it down with an antimicrobial wipe first. You can also paper the seat, crouch, or hover. On a final note, this list of items is not meant to scare but rather to inform. We all have to live with every day—often communal—items to make our way through this world. Hidden dangers can be anywhere. But preventing risk of illness or injury should be a concern of every physician, and it’s important to remember that certain precautions can be taken to this end. Source
