Today, mobile phones are part of our daily life and our culture. But last month,  a study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association indicated that the use of mobile phones could alter brain activity.

The report said it was unclear whether the changes in the brain activity after using the phone for less than an hour had negative health effects. According to Dr. Nora Volkow, the lead investigator of the study and director at the National Institute of Health, “cellphones are fantastic and have done much for the productivity. I’d never tell people to stop using them entirely.”

Nevertheless, some precautions can be taken. Indeed she advises us to keep cellphones at a distance by putting them on a speaker mode or using a wired headset whenever possible. The next best option is a wireless Bluetooth headset or earpiece, which emit radiation at far lower levels. The intensity of the radiation diminishes sharply with distance so the simple fact of holding your phone slightly away from your ear can make a big difference. It is also better to put your phone away from your body that is to say not to put it in your pocket for instance.

Many studies have been made in the previous years about the link between cellphones radiations and cancer, lower bone density and infertility in men but they have not established the same conclusions.

But the most important thing to know is how to use your cellphone. Many cellphones emit the most radiation when they are trying to establish the contact with the cell tower. So to reduce the exposure it’s best to wait until the connexion is made to put your cellphone next to your ear. Moreover cellphones are emitting less when you’re stationary than when you’re moving rapidly because of the succession of connexions with cell tower that they have to make.

Some good news for sms-addicts, texting instead of talking may be safer for your health…