How Technology Addiction is Ruining Your Health
By Genevieve Cunningham
We live in an advanced world. Many years ago, notes had to be taken by hand. Now? Just grab your laptop and type away. Need to do some research? Years ago this meant a trip to the library to check out the encyclopedia collection. Now? Again, grab your laptop or even your phone and find out anything and everything you could ever want to know. It’s a great time to be alive. But as it turns out, not everything about technology is the greatest. In fact, too much technology may actually be ruining your health. Take a look at these ways in which technology may be causing problems, followed by what you can do about it.
It’s Killing Your Eyes
You probably already know this. You’ve probably felt the effects of too much screen time. It might make your eyes bloodshot, sore, tired, or even cause your vision to be blurry. Why? Because our eyes weren’t made to stare at a screen all day. The strain can cause long-term damage and short-term pain. The cure? See an eye doctor to discuss prevention and treatment, and do your best to limit your time in front of a screen.
It’s Ruining Your Sleeping Habits
A long time ago, people turned off their lights and went to bed when it was time. They didn’t have the distraction of TV, laptops, smartphones, and other technology. While this is certainly nice to have when you’re tossing and turning, it’s possible that the technology is actually causing the tossing and turning. The light and stimulation from these devices prevents us from winding down properly and calming the brain. In turn, we are kept up all hours of the night or get poor quality sleep as a result.
It’s Making You Inactive
While some people may use their technology to stay fit (hello fitness apps and pedometers!), most people use it to avoid such activity. Instead of going for a run, we turn on Netflix. Instead of enjoying some yoga, we browse the internet for hours reading about random nonsense. While this might not seem so bad on a one-time basis, it’s the night after night of inactivity that is ruining our muscular, circulatory, and even mental health. Want to stop? Either limit your technology time in favor of something active, or get up and get moving while your latest Netflix addiction is playing.
We all love the technology that we have at our fingertips. It makes life easier and work more efficient. But if we’re not careful, it can also ruin our health for good. Get your technology use under control, and balance it out with some physical activity in order to protect your health and wellness for a lifetime.
To learn more about your health and wellness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Nashua, N.H.