Even though it is called a “laptop”, it isn’t the wisest choice to place one directly on your lap. Surprising isn’t it?
When you think of a laptop, an image of a person working on a computer placed on their lap would immediately flash in your mind. Working on a laptop while it is placed on one’s lap is widely normalized, but it isn’t the best option – both for you and your laptop.
In this article, we’ll divulge all the problems that you could be facing if you place your laptop on your lap for prolonged periods.
Is it Unsafe to Place a Laptop on my Lap?
Experts recommend that people should avoid placing their laptops on their laps for prolonged hours. The practice is not only harmful to your laptop in the long run, but may also bring forth several health-related problems for you in the future.
Not many people know this but when you place your laptop on your lap, you are virtually exposing yourself to some strong electromagnetic frequency (EMF) radiation. While small quantities are generally harmless, prolonged exposure could prove to be gravely problematic. For people who are in the habit of working for long hours with their laptops placed on their laps, let this be a wake-up call to immediately change their working positions.
So why is it so dangerous to place a laptop in one’s lap?
In this article, we’ll discuss 10 of the most prevalent issues that you could be facing if you place your laptop on your lap for long periods.
Read Also: How to Use a Laptop on Bed: What Experts Recommend
10 Reasons Why You Should Never Place a Laptop on your Lap
So without further ado, we can move on to the main information that we’re looking for – what harm could you face if you have a habit of placing your laptop on your lap.
1. It is Harmful to One’s Reproductive Organs
As we have iterated before, laptops tend to radiate EMF. In addition, they also send and receive various signals including the most commonly used wireless internet signals.
Long-term exposure to these radiations could affect the user’s reproductive system. For males, proximity to laptops could damage their sperm count. For females, the same can deteriorate the natural process of egg release.
Because of this, scientists and experts recommend that placing or holding one’s laptop near their legs, testes, or the crotch region, should be avoided at all costs.
2. It Leads to the Growth of Different Kinds of Cancer
The list of problems continues to become graver. Using a laptop on your lap for prolonged periods can lead to the development of skin cancer.
The design of laptops allows them to ventilate heat from the bottom. This means that the lower part of the laptop gets heated while the laptop is running. Exposing your lap (and skin) to the heated part of the laptop results in skin damage, which can potentially develop into skin cancer.
At the same time, continued skin damage might even increase the likelihood of squamous cell skin cancer development.
3. It Results in Back Pain
When you place a laptop on your lap, you cannot help but slouch or hunch slightly to be able to work conveniently. Doing so for a long time would mess up your spinal alignment which would eventually result in back pain.
Most commonly, using your laptop while it is placed on your lap results in thoracic back pain, which can remain with you perpetually.
4. It Can Disrupt your Sleeping Patterns
When you place your laptop on your lap, the screen overlooks you at a peculiar angle. In this position, the artificial light from your laptop’s screen would hit your eyes directly. Not many people know that the light from your laptop’s screen suppresses the release of melatonin, something that makes humans drowsy and ready to sleep.
So, if you feel that you have trouble sleeping, maybe it’s time that you retire the use of your laptop for a while.
5. It Leads to Neck Stiffness and Mobility Restriction
When you use your laptop while placing it on your lap, your neck would constantly be facing downwards. Over time, this would make your neck sore and stiff without you realizing what’s happening.
While the slight pain might seem innocuous at first, cervical pains can accompany you forever. Increased stiffness would also limit your neck’s range of motion, disabling you from rotating or moving your head normally.
If you wish to avoid a visit to your local chiropractor, we suggest that you change your habit.
6. It Can Cause Pregnancy-related Problems
Medical reports and research suggest that placing one’s laptop on their lap for prolonged hours can affect a women’s fertility, diminishing their ability to reproduce. This happens because the radiation from the laptop can delay egg production.
At the same time, pregnant women are equally prone to the dangers of placing a laptop on their lap. Doing so would result in health issues for the fetus that they carry.
7. It Can Burn Your Skin
You might have heard of the term “toasted skin syndrome”. If you continue to place your laptop on your lap, you might even experience it. Exposing your skin to a laptop for prolonged periods may affect your skin drastically, leading to a peculiar mottled skin condition. It might even result in the formation of rashes due to exposure to overheating laptops.
8. It Can Affect Your Posture
To lead a healthy lifestyle, having an upright posture is of the utmost importance. Unfortunately, using a laptop while it is placed on your lap for prolonged hours prevents you from having a good posture.
Because the position of your head and laptop is not even, your neck and back would always be slouched when you are working. At the same time, there usually wouldn’t be the lumbar or back support that you would usually find in a work chair.
Prolonged use of a laptop on your lap will therefore lead to grave postural issues that might stick with the users for a long time.
9. It Might Affect your Eyesight
While this is not a commonly reported issue, placing your laptop on your lap could also impair your vision. The light from your laptop’s screen would hit your eyes directly, and other natural sunlight filtering in from the nearby windows would also divulge together to create a harmful effect on your eyes.
10. It Might Overheat your Laptop
Laptops release heat from the bottom of their bodies. That is why experts recommend that using a laptop stand is crucial. Some people even place their laptops on empty egg trays to ensure that the laptop has enough room to release its heat conveniently.
Placing your laptop on your lap blocks the laptop’s only path of ventilation. The heat from all the operations running inside the laptop would remain trapped, not finding any orifice or ventilation. The bottom of the laptop will therefore get overheated.
This is not only harmful to the shelf life of your laptop but can also damage your skin if you face prolonged exposure.
Conclusion
And this is why you should never place your laptop on your lap for prolonged periods. Sure, if you are doing it occasionally, then you might not face any lasting issues. But if you have gotten into the bad habit of placing your laptop on your lap, then you need to change immediately.
