Are you one of the 84 percent of people that can’t seem to go without your phone for more than an hour? You may lie and say no, but we are all using our phones more than we think.

Phone addiction may not seem as severe as serious chemical addictions, but our excessive phone use can still cause some serious health effects that we don’t think about when browsing from app to app.

Not only do our cell phones pose as a huge distraction when it comes to our class work and responsibilities, but all that texting and Candy Crushing has also shown to be quite damaging to our hands.

Do you find yourself with soreness and cramping in your wrist and fingers? You may have something called the “text claw,” which tends to happen with overuse and repetitive fine motor activity, such as texting and game playing.

Tendonitis, wrist and forearm pain can also emerge, causing lasting effects from one too many hours on your cell phone. Don’t be the next victim of the “text claw” and put that phone down for a second!

As students, we don’t get enough sleep as it is, but could your cell phone be the reason you aren’t racking up a few extra hours of sleep at night?

Some of our nightly rituals may include scrolling through Instagram, pinning on Pinterest or watching YouTube videos, but constantly staring at our phones right before we hit the hay could be making it more difficult to fall asleep. The LED light in our devices is shown to disturb melatonin production, making it more difficult to feel sleepy when shuteye comes around.

It could be beneficial to set a time for yourself when enough is enough and you turn your phone off for the night. This could greatly improve your sleep patterns and give you better night sleeps in the long run.

It may be easy for us to look beyond these problems and continue what we’re doing, but if I told you that your phone has more germs than a bathroom toilet, would that get your attention?

Being attached to our cell phones means we’re using them in some of the dirtiest places. About 75 percent of Americans admit to using their phone while in the bathroom (CBS News).

Our phones can’t shower like we can, meaning that all those germs from place to place are building up on our cell phones, exposing us to all sorts of bacteria. Giving your phone a good deep clean every once in awhile could make sure you steer clear of your next sickness hanging out on your cell phone.

It’s crucial to take breaks from our phones throughout the day to make sure we stay away from some of these unexpected health effects. Look up, the world is beautiful. Put your trust in me when I say spending a few hours without your phone is a lot better than you think.