Technology has come a long way over the years. You can access the internet through your phone, television, tablets, and computers. No matter where you travel, there is often some way to access technology. This can make it very easy to use it excessively. Technology addiction is becoming more and more prevalent in today’s society. People often don’t realize that their addiction to technology may be causing serious physical issues to develop. The following guide walks you through a few ways that technology addiction may be affecting your body without you even realizing it.
Muscle Weakness
People who are addicted to technology often forgo exercise for technology usage. They often sit for hours on end watching television, playing a video game or looking at their phone. Limiting the amount of exercise you get can cause your muscles to become weakened. This happens over time, so many people don’t know it’s happening until it is very noticeable.
Insomnia Common with Technology Addiction
When your body doesn’t get enough sleep, it can impact your body in many ways. It can cause you to have a hard time focusing. Many people notice that they feel weaker and more lethargic when they are tired. Technology addiction causes insomnia because you are constantly focused on technology. You think about it as you are going to bed, and it can make it difficult for you to fall asleep. Many people also make the mistake of using technology right before bed. This can make their thoughts wander, which can keep them awake.
Vision Issues Occur with Too Much Technology Usage
When you use technology a lot, it often strains your eyes. This is because you keep your eyes open for so long without realizing it. As you stare at the screen, your eyes become dry and can be irritated. There are also times when it can strain your eyes because of how small the screens are. Having to try to strain to see causes unnecessary stress on your eyes.
Technology Addiction Can Cause Neck and Back Pain
When you stare at a device incessantly, you are often not in the most ergonomic position. Staring down at a screen can cause neck problems. Sitting in one place for an extended period of time can make your back stiff. You also don’t move around enough to keep your joints well lubricated throughout the day.
Your Heart Can Be Weakened
When you don’t get enough exercise throughout the day, your heart becomes weaker. It doesn’t have to work as hard when you are sitting and looking at technology. This means that it isn’t getting the workout that it needs regularly. This can cause your heart to become weaker and make it more likely for heart disease to develop.
Many people who have a technology addiction also tend to eat unhealthy foods. This is because they are quick and easy to make so that they don’t have to miss a lot of time from the technology that they love. These unhealthy foods can clog the arteries of the heart, which could lead to a heart attack occurring.
Can Lead to Hearing Impairment
When people are constantly using different forms of technology, they often use headphones. This is to ensure that they don’t bother those around them. They also may be trying to protect their privacy. Many people listen to headphones very loudly to try to block out the sounds around them. Listening to headphones often can cause damage to your hearing because they provide such a concentrated sound.
Can Cause Weight Fluctuations
When you are addicted to technology, it can often affect your weight dramatically. Many people notice that their weight changes because they are eating unhealthy foods or because they are eating less frequently. Some people gain weight due to their poor diet and lack of exercise. Some people lose weight because they focus so much on the activity that they are doing that they forget to eat or become too enthralled in their technology to take the time to do it. Fluctuations in weight aren’t good for your body because it can put a lot of stress on your organs, joints, and muscles.
Tendonitis in Your Thumbs
For many years people only worried about developing carpal tunnel syndrome when it came to technology. Now, tendonitis in the thumbs is a huge issue for people to address. It’s so common because people are using their thumbs so much on their devices. This can include texting, scrolling on their phone, or playing video games. Once tendonitis develops, it can be very difficult to treat and can create lasting pain.
Technology Addiction Can Cause Migraines
People often notice that their heads start to hurt after they have stared at a screen for long periods of time. This can be caused by eye strain or from not taking breaks frequently. It’s important for the brain to get a rest from constantly focusing on one thing.
Addiction to Technology Can Cause Acne Development
Many people don’t think about the fact that every time they use their phone, they may be contaminating it. Everything that you touch can be spread onto your phone every time you touch it. Most people’s phones have a lot of bacteria on it. People who have a technology addiction may notice that they start to develop acne in areas where their phones constantly touch. This is often due to the bacteria on the phone that they come into contact with regularly.
Technology addiction is still viewed as being something relatively new. People don’t fully understand it yet, but there are treatment options available. You can get help from professionals to recover from technology addiction. You may not be able to remove technology from your life forever, but learning how to use it responsibly could make a huge difference in your life. Many people can live a full life and still have regular technology usage in it, once they learn how to use it the right way.