While technology has made many things in life easier and more convenient, it’s also brought about many negatives that could be detrimental if not addressed, particularly when it comes to the human body. But luckily, if you know what your vulnerabilities are and the best ways to combat them, you can continue to use technology without having it destroy your body and mind.
To help you see how this can be done, here are three tips for protecting your body when using technology.
Work On Your Posture
One of the worst things about using many forms of technology is that they can be very hard on your musculoskeletal structure. Because people often find it more comfortable to use their devices when they’re slumped or hunched over, many people have found big issues with their posture and the symptoms that come with this type of strain on the body.
But according to John Patrick Pullen, a contributor to Time.com, simple, small changes with how you hold or use your devices can have a big impact on your posture. For example, if you can find a way to sit and use your devices without craning your neck, which can either mean pulling your chin down or moving your screen higher, you will instantly have much better posture and be putting less strain on your neck and back muscles.
Give Your Eyes A Rest
Another area of your body that can be very vulnerable to excessive use of technology is your eyes. With the amount of light your eyes are taking in from the screens you stare at, you can quickly develop eye strain and other negative health problems.
To counteract this eye strain, Dr. Karen Gill, a contributor to Healthline.com, suggests implementing the 20-20-20 rule. With this rule, you should give your eyes a break every 20 minutes by looking at something at least 20 feet away from you for about 20 seconds. By doing this, you’re giving your eyes the rest they need to recover from any damage done by your screen or monitor.
Know When Something’s Too Loud
With so many people using personal devices to listen to music, podcasts, or other audio, there’s a big threat of hearing loss that many people don’t even realize.
According to Everyday Health, people should only be listening to loud music, which means music that’s about 80 percent of maximum volume, for about 90 minutes each day. While you can listen to music that’s at about 50 percent for the entire day if you want, make sure you give your ears a break from loud music on a very regular basis.
To help your body cope with the new threats of technology, consider using the tips mentioned above to protect yourself from injury caused by your devices.
