India, Sept. 29 -- From checking notifications first thing in the morning to scrolling before bed, smartphones have become an inseparable part of everyday life. But could constant screen exposure and frequent phone checking be affecting the way we focus, sleep and feel?

Dr Gaurav Batra, Principal Consultant, Neurosurgeon, Yashoda Medicity, Indirapuram, Ghaziabad, spoke to HT Lifestyle about whether excessive smartphone use could contribute to problems such as fragmented attention, disturbed sleep and recurrent headaches. (Also read: 47-year-old longevity expert trained at Cornell says his arteries are 'measurably younger': Here are his 5 daily habits )

"The smartphone has become an extension of our everyday life. We use it to work, stud...