Tech Addiction Isn’t Just A Social Nightmare. Here’s What It Does To Your Neck.

We all have that friend who’s constantly looking down at their cell phone.

It’s annoying, and it’s rude, but it’s so common. We live our lives online now, and our phones keep us connected.

Beyond the social complexities of dealing with your phone in groups or in public, there’s actually a physical concern that’s arising as well. More and more, doctors are talking about the ways our use of technology are hurting us. Here’s how.

“Text neck” or “tech neck” refers to neck and back pain experienced because a person looks down too much at their phone or other devices.

Flickr / Budi Nusyirwan

Our heads weigh between 10 and 12 pounds, and the gravitational pull when we look downward is about 60 pounds of pressure.

Flickr / Seika

This can lead to an incremental loss of the curvature of the cervical spine. But studies show there are other effects, too.

Flickr / Seika

Posture affects mood, memory, and behavior, and it can also change bone and muscle development or the amount of oxygen we can breathe in.

Flickr / Blondinrikard Fröberg

Just taking the time to stand or sit up straight can lower stress in the body and make you feel more confident.

Flickr / Adam B

(via New York Times)

There’s no way we’re going to stop looking at our phones, but try improving your posture while you do. You just might find yourself in less pain and with a better attention span for the things that matter in life — the people right in front of you.