People warned of stress for "information addicted"

BANGKOK, November 2 (TNA) - The Thai Ministry of Public Health advises people to "properly consume information" to protect themselves from negative physical and mental impacts, namely exhaustion, tension and recurring illnesses. While giving the advice on Monday, Permanent Secretary for Public Health Dr. Sophon Mekthon pointed out that people have kept receiving information through radio, TV, computers and mobile phones. Dr. Sophon quoted the National Statistical Office (NSO) as reporting that in 2014, among 62.3 million Thai people aged six and over, 23.8 million (38.2%) used computers, 21.7 million (34.9%) used the Internet, and 48.1 million (77.2%) used mobile phones and the figures have kept rising. Dr. Sophon warned that the excessive reception of information caused exhaustion, kept brains working; thus, resulting in tension, insomnia and malfunctioning bodies, including excessive gastric acid, stomachache, overworked heart and hypertension. Besides, using screens for longer than 10 hours a day can cause eye pain and fatigue, blurred vision, dry eyes, short-sightedness and early cataracts. Dr. Sophon advised people to also do other activities such as physical exercises, sports, music listening, eating and to rest sufficiently for at least 6-8 hours a day, as relaxation helps stimulate the release of endorphins that eliminates tension and gives a good sleep. According to the senior Thai official, strong desire for updated information has caused some people to forget to verify information and share it abruptly, calling on people to refrain from the habit. (TNA)