“Technology is a useful servant but a dangerous master” (Lange). Christian Lange, a Norwegian diplomat, reveals that technology is a beneficial element, but warns about the possibility of relying on it. Technology revolutionized throughout the 1900s, from the creation of electricity to the steel and automobile manufacturing industries. It is the source of the modernization of the world. Now, in the 21st century, technology is becoming essential, changing the lives of adults and teenagers, proving Lange's suspicions to be true. Everywhere in society there is a phone, computer or smartwatch in sight and people unable to disconnect. They all take advantage of the new and improved technology for its elegant appearance and practicality. Along with technology is social media, where people from all over the world come together to share personal experiences and communicate ideas. However, humans overuse electronic devices to the point where they are harmful. Technology has a negative impact on society because it causes physical, social and mental health problems, and although technology contributes to an increase in physical exercise thanks to fitness gadgets, people have become extremely dependent on these sketchy electronic accessories. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The evolution of technology has proven to have harmful consequences on all physical parts of the human body. In a scientific study conducted by Paula Hakala, “the risk of pain in the neck, shoulder increases when computers are used 2-3 hours a day or more, and in the lower back when computers are used for more than 5 hours per day” (Antoine-Chager). In Hakala's study, the more hours spent using technology, the more an individual's physical health is further affected by the constant posture of looking down or sitting at a desk with a hunched back. This prolonged activity slowly reshapes the body, especially the spine, in an unfavorable way. Sitting with a straight back allows for even blood circulation, while a hunched position limits blood flow to the brain and body. According to the Vision Council, “Approximately 80% of American adults report using digital devices for more than two hours a day, and 59% report experiencing symptoms of digital eye strain.” Teens in this era, including adults, use technology heavily for a combination of social media, work, education, and relaxation. Individuals focus their eyes on a particular device for long periods of time, causing headaches and dry eyes that generate blurred vision for periods of the day. Additionally, exposure to blue light increases the risk of macular degeneration in which the eye's visual center or retina degrades. The eyes are one of the most important sensory organs of the body and technological devices are destroying their perfect condition. In another study, Jagdish Khubchandani, professor of health sciences, states that “leisure impairs our ability to engage in healthy behaviors such as exercise and brings the added risk of eating unhealthy foods while watching TV or using technological devices ”. While people watch a movie or show, it is common to eat or drink unhealthy foods, such as popcorn and candy, to keep their mouth busy. This has an effect on weight, making you obese or even have high cholesterol and diabetes. The increased percentage of fat moderately leads to complications with numerous organs of the body.Nowadays, millennials prefer to relax at home rather than take a walk outside to breathe fresh air and observe nature. Physical activity especially helps people lead a healthy lifestyle, but technology prevents people from doing so. Furthermore, the use of technology leads to social effects, altering how individuals connect with each other. With the emergence of more and more electronic devices in everyday life, it promotes a decrease in the amount of social interaction.interaction between all generations. People prefer convenience instead of leaving home to experience all the special moments of life. For example, in the Amazon Go store, “you can walk into the Seattle store, where you will find essential groceries and ready-to-eat options, put your selection directly in your bag or pocket, and walk out” (Morin) . Technology has made life incredibly simple, and the Amazon Go store is just the beginning of future innovations. However, because the Amazon Go store is powered by cameras and credit card scanners, employees are no longer essential and causing unemployment to millions of Americans. People no longer need to interact with others while shopping as before, instead families can simply grab the goods and leave, limiting person-to-person confrontation. The fact that now people can simply get what they want and need with a simple click of a button clearly shows how technology is gradually taking over people's lives and making Americans lethargic. Based on a survey conducted by Common Sense Media, the graph shows the decrease in face-to-face communication among teens from 49% in 2012 to 32% in 2018. Texting, social media, and video chatting, however, have increased. Pictured, in-person interaction has declined 17% over six years, while social media and video chats have grown 8% and texting 2%. Currently online communication is used to a greater extent. Individuals FaceTime and interact with others through social media accounts such as Twitter or Facebook, which explains the sudden increase in Internet contacts. Ever since video chat was introduced, people have been resorting to it on a recurring basis. In-person interaction is slowly becoming pointless and less fun, while social media fosters better enjoyment. Over time, this can create a world where people are unable to converse with others due to their fixation on smartphones. Ellen Hendriksen, Ph.D., says that avoiding people has become a default, “when we avoid people, our confidence wavers. We're not sure how to handle things, we see ourselves as clumsy, and we shy away from future opportunities” (Hendriksen). People have gotten into the habit of using technology as a source to isolate themselves from the community. Individuals become accustomed to being alone and communicating with people on the Internet rather than practicing social skills regularly. As a result, lack of eye contact, a weak voice and posture indicate insecurity and nervousness at all ages. This makes individuals more susceptible to public humiliation and cyberbullying if social skills are not practiced often. Improved technology produces less sincere face-to-face interactions and more indirect conversations that cause psychological problems. Common mental health outcomes associated with technology use are sleep loss, depression, and addiction. Research has found that most tech screens emit blue light that depletes the body's melatonin, a sleep-enhancing hormone, causing sleep deprivation. The lightblue is a short wavelength that emits a large amount of energy onto human cells and tissues. Exposure to blue light day after day can cause damage to the body due to the constant absorption of radiation. Depending on how much time you spend on a device, sleep will be lost profusely. Without sleep, the brain is unable to reboot and prepare to function the next day. Technology decreases the amount of crucial sleep, rendering the brain powerless, unable to think clearly to solve problems. Social media today is the main reason for feelings of depression: “It's not just the pressure to share things with others, it's also about how you might compare your life to others you see on Facebook” (Fader). Social media portrays the idea that life is ecstatic and that people are naturally beautiful. Women often tend to compare themselves to the perfect life of manothers, personally examining everything that is wrong and changing appearances to fit an ideal. In reality, this ideal is not true. Technology generates self-doubt and severe pressure on oneself, leading to depression and self-esteem issues. Wes, one of many, suffered from technology addiction, "an Eagle Scout and college student from Michigan, he played video games 80 hours a week, stopping to eat only every two or three days" (Irvine). Humanity naturally seeks a place to escape stress with entertainment. In Wes' case, the adrenaline-fueled video games provided caused him to avoid eating at normal times and to play continuously, regardless of the time or day. As a result, his addiction takes him away from present moments and changes his brain patterns, making him similar to drug abusers. Sure, there are all kinds of repercussions that come with using technology, but there are benefits that come with giving people the ability to track health in a fun way. Although there are side effects of using technology, there are many benefits that come from advancement in technology. Specifically, fitness gadgets have become more widely used to manage health, monitor heart rate, steps, calories, etc. The devices as such motivate and remind people to exercise, taking responsibility for their own well-being. Dr. Jet Khasriya explains, “From fitness bands to smart watches and sensors and technology with medical applications like blood sugar monitors, we can find motivation by setting daily goals and activity reminders to move more” (Khasriya). Smart watches such as Apple Watches and FitBit track how many steps an individual walks along with the distance and amount of calories burned from exercise, activity, and standing. An individual's goal of losing a certain amount of calories is difficult to achieve when a fitness tracker is not available on the person's wrist. These devices send notifications reminding people to keep working towards their goals. The technology makes managing calorie loss more accessible to people than manually searching for a scale to estimate their entire body weight or logging calories for each workout and diet. Despite the fact that technology is a necessary component to encourage humans to exercise and monitor health, individuals are becoming increasingly dependent on inaccurate wearable devices. Lisa Cadmus-Bertrum, Ph.D. in kinesiology says, “'The problem is that it can't actually know certain things about your body. For example, it's about guessing the relative proportions between muscle and fat'”?