Screen Time & Fitness

We are hearing more and more about the effects of screen time. According to a 2016 Nielsen study, adults are spent an average of 10 hours and 39 minutes each day using electronic devices! Between our phones, our computers, video games and television its becoming almost a norm. However, too much screen time has been linked to obesity and depression among people 18 and under, but that is not all. Spending all the time looking down at your smart phone can also affect your posture and you may develop "Tech Neck".

This is when your head thrusts forward causing one to round your upper back and can cause to disk herniation, neural impingement, headaches and bone degeneration and spurs along with facet joint arthritis.

Asking anyone to toss their phone these days is almost laughable, but there are ways to help your body and your posture, including:

1. Take a break from your phone, stand up and stretch. If you work at a computer, make sure you take a break and look away at least every 30 minutes.

2. Stand up! Get a headset or try an elevated desk so you spend more time standing then sitting.

3. Don't eat in front of your computer screen or television. Many people chose to take a "working lunch" but not only are you not taking a break from your screen, but you are not taking a mental break from you job. Remember when we eat or snack in front of a screen, we usually tend to eat more.

4. Take the screens out of the bedroom. Avoid using any kind of backlit screen in the hour right before bedtime, because these emit light that can interrupt your quality of sleep.

It is important to be aware of your posture and working with a personal trainer can help correct any postural problems. Set up an environment that allows you to keep your head up!