Your Cell Phone May Have An Unexpected Effect On Your Heart

As people increasingly rely on their cell phones to organize their schedules, connect with friends, or capture that perfect moment on Instagram, it might be hard to imagine life without one. Yet your smartphone can hurt your health in sneaky ways. While many researchers focus on how smartphone use impacts mental health, your digital device might also affect your physical health.

A 2024 study in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology found that regularly using your smartphone was linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Researchers defined "regular" smartphone use as using your cell phone for a call at least once a week. However, the more time people spent on their phones, the higher the risk was. Those who spent 6 or more hours a week on their phones had a 21% higher risk of CVD. Given the prevalence of smartphone use these days, you might believe "regular" smartphone use is probably more than once a week, and 6 hours a week might not sound like much. The researchers asked more than 400,000 people about their smartphone use between 2006 and 2010, before smartphones surged in popularity.

Cell phone use was also linked to carotid intima-media thickness, which is an indicator of atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a condition where the arteries have plaque build-up that can increase your risk of heart disease or stroke. Poor sleep, psychological distress, and neuroticism also played a role in the link.

Using your cell phone could be linked with the formation of unhealthy habits that can lead to heart disease. In a 2016 article in the Saudi Medical Journal, researchers surveyed more than 2,000 college students about their smartphone use. Out of the students who spent more than eight hours a day on their phones, 43% of these students said they slept less and had less energy the next day. The heavy smartphone users also ate more fast food, gained weight, and exercised less. An unhealthy diet, obesity, and a sedentary lifestyle increase your risk of cardiovascular disease (read how late-night snacking impacts your heart).

Your screen time might also be associated with your blood pressure, according to a 2024 study in Cureus. People who spent more than 6.5 hours every day on their smartphones had a higher risk of having elevated blood pressure.

It's not all bad news, though. Advances in technology can help you monitor your cardiovascular health. Healthcare wearables can keep an eye on your daily activity and remind you to get up and move during long periods of inactivity. Smartphone apps can also track the nutrients in your diet to help you lose weight and manage your blood sugar. A 2021 review in JMIR Cardio found that the more you engage with these apps, the more successful you'll be in improving these cardiovascular risk factors.

Health professionals might also develop apps that specifically target CVD. In a 2021 study in Atherosclerosis, researchers developed an app that integrated people's current health statistics and specific lifestyle interventions to improve their cardiovascular health. After a year, the people who used the app saw a 2.7% reduction in their cardiovascular risk score. Smartphones can also improve the fitness of people with coronary heart disease. A 2023 review in Global Heart found that people going through cardiac rehabilitation were more successful in managing their cardiovascular health when they used apps that included exercise plans, medication guidance, and counseling.