It’s not possible to stay away from technology throughout your day There’s no doubt that it has made a lot of our lives easier. But, there are some aspects of it could influence your body in negative ways. In order to treat these issues, you must understand the causes behind these issues.
These are the consequences from technology to your physical health , and how you can combat them.
1. Poor Posture
In a report written by Rothman Orthopaedics 65 million Americans have reported back discomfort due to poor posture when they work at their computers in the year 2019. In addition, the American Chiropractic Association reports that the majority of people suffer from back discomfort at some point throughout their life.
This shouldn’t be a surprise when you see people spending a lot of their time working in offices on computers or scrolling through their phones or watching their favorite shows. If you do not have an ergonomic setting to do these things–which is not the norm even in office settings–you could be prone to posture issues.
When you are using your mobile as well as working with your PC Your head is usually bent downwards with shoulders in a hunch with elbows creating the sharp or narrow angle to that front part of your body and your wrists bent upwards or down. If you stay in this position for extended days or even at intervals every day, it can cause posture issues that can lead to muscle discomfort.
What You Can Do to Enhance Your Posture
Reduce the amount of time you spend on screens by limiting the usage of tablets, smartphones and gaming devices, among others. It is also possible to use apps that help improve your posture to lessen back and neck discomfort. In addition, YouTube has some great videos on this topic:
- How to correct your posture 5 Home Exercises You Can Do at Home to improve posture (YouTube)
- Improve your posture with these 5 easy Exercises (YouTube)
- 5 Tips for Increasing Your Posture (YouTube)
However, it is recommended to consult your physician prior to introducing more intense exercises.
2. Muscular Pain
Poor posture plays a major part in the development of muscle discomfort. The continual forward and forward bending of the neck may cause headaches and shoulder stiffness. neck pain and soreness. These symptoms are often referred to as “tech neck”.
It is primarily because of the distribution of head’s weight over a variety of angles. As per Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science that when you are in the neutral posture that it only puts less than 10 to12 pounds of strain to your neck. When it’s tilted however in a downward direction, your muscles must be more active to support up to 27,500 pounds when tilted at about 15°, or 60 pounds when you tilt your head at 60 degrees.
How to Treat Muscular Pain
Start by purchasing an ergonomic office space setup that will help you keep your posture in the correct direction. For example when you are working in the office, your screen for your computer should be just a little below your eyes According the Grand Valley State University.
Additionally, PhysioMed’s guide for proper sitting Posture recommends that your elbows make an angle of around 90 degrees when you type on the keyboard as well as your knees and legs must also be at an appropriate angle. Also, you must have an lumbar support system for you back, and your feet should be level with the floor or resting on the footrests as per The Princeton University’s Computer Workstations and Ergonomics.
Additionally, utilize apps to plan regular breaks, or get up as often as you are able after spending a significant amount hours in the place.
3. Eye Strain
As per the National Center for Health Research Two out of three Americans complain of eye strain due to the increased screen time. The strains could directly impact your work efficiency, causing your to create more errors when working and taking longer breaks.
Additionally, you could have dry eyes that places extra stress on the muscles responsible to focus. The doctor Dr. Joshua L. Dunaief explained to NBC News, “We don’t blink as much when we are using screens since the blink response is slowed. This means we don’t pour the tears over our eyes and then they dry out.”
It’s mostly due to actions such as staring at computer screens for extended periods of time and surfing through Facebook, binge-watching TV shows and much more.
How to reduce eye Strain
Based on an article from WebMD According to an article by WebMD, keep your computer screen at least 20-30 inches away from you and adhere to the rule of 20-20-20: stare at an object from 20 meters away and for 20 second each 20 minutes while working with your PC. Make sure the light in your room isn’t too dim or bright. These tips can help lessen strain on your eyes.
4. Sleep Deprivation
As per the Sleep Health Foundation, another impact that technology has on health can be the lack of sleep. It is also associated with other health issues, including depression, lower productivity low energy levels and performance issues at work.
Apart from any difficulties sleeping, your overall sleep quality could be impacted by using your phone in the late at night, or watching something that needs your attention, or getting awake due to the alarm.
How to Sleep better? Better Sleep
There are many actions you can take to get a restful night , without being distracted by your smartphone. For example, you can reduce your lighting at least an hour before going to go to bed. You should ensure that your cell phone is located in a separate area so that, if you are tempted to check it out you’re less likely to pull it out.
If you truly have to keep your mobile on you at all times for any reason, you can put it in don’t disturb mode and utilize Google’s Digital Wellbeing Dashboard or Sleep Mode on iOS to reduce distractions. You can also download an app, such as Stay Focused that can assist users stop notifications and limit the usage of specific apps. It is also worth reading about other apps to assist you in getting a great night’s rest.
5. Reducing Physical Activity
Based on the Mayo Clinic According to the Mayo Clinic, adults should strive to achieve 150 minutes moderate exercise as well as 75 mins of intense exercise each week. But a study published that was published in The Journal of Medical Internet Research discovered that the use of social media and the increase in consumption of sedentary activities significantly decrease the amount of exercise that people get.
Additionally, according to research conducted in Healthcare (Basel) research, the use of technology by children is linked to a decrease in physical activities, obesity as well as other health issues.
How can you increase your physical activity to avoid health problems
Technology could be the reason of your lack of exercise and decreased physical activity however, it could also be utilized to correct the problem. Technology that persuades you — apps or tools to remind you to exercise or limit the use of your devices–as well as playing video games that stimulate your brain could aid in increasing your physical activity, as per an analysis by Lifespan.
Engaging in activity and keeping track of the amount of steps you’ve taken during the day are good reasons to invest in an electronic watch. These watches can encourage you to exercise more than you normally do because you’ll be able to see how little you may be moving during your normal day.
In addition it is also possible to try virtual exercise partners, group exercises , or make use of social media platforms to hold you accountable for your workouts.
Does Technology Really Have a Part to Play for causing Health Problems? Health Problems?
When people start to rely too much on items that are intended to ease their lives it’s inevitable that they’ll experience adverse consequences. This is also true with personal devices. Therefore, you must be sure to use devices only when required and then learn to use them effectively so they’re only helping youand not harming you.
We understand how important it is to choose a chiropractor that is right for you. It is our belief that educating our patients is a very important part of the success we see in our offices.