Within the last few years, we have learned about the negative impacts of consuming too much social media can have on our mental health. From increasing depression and anxiety by leading us to compare ourselves to our friends’ highlight reels to its addictive nature in keeping us searching for those coveted “likes,” we have begun to look closely look at social media and its lasting impacts.

While the psychological impacts of social media have become more well known, it’s time we start looking at the physical impacts too much social media can have on our bodies as we continue to spend a good amount of our personal and work time in front of screens.

Last Active: 2 Hours Ago

It goes without saying that if we’re easily scrolling through the ‘gram, chances are we’re not doing anything too physically demanding. Social media has led to an increase in sedentary lifestyles where we can easily spend hours looking at photos of nature on our couches as opposed to getting out of the house and taking a long hike to see it in person.

Spending an hour on social media is easily a “like,” but an hour in the gym? How do you report as inappropriate?

Hours that used to be filled being more active are now lost online as we default to the lethargic and pack on the pounds as a result.   

Slave to Tech

With all of this time spent sitting at computers and hunched over our phones gazing into screens, “technology posture” is becoming more common. Technology posture is the unnatural way we hold and contort our bodies when we’re looking at computer screens or our phones. Sadly, our bodies aren’t designed to spend so much time hunched over with our necks bent, shoulders slumped, and hands constantly clutching a device.

As we spend more time in this irregular position, our bodies begin to overcompensate which can result in neck and back pain as well as bad posture. In extreme cases, this damage can be permanent.

Do Something About It!

Luckily, we don’t have to simply accept what social media is doing to our bodies. We can counter the negatives by being more cognizant of how social media is physically affecting us and making sure we make appropriate adjustments to counter such as:

•      Keeping tabs on social media usage
•      Remembering to get up and move
•      Keeping screens and devices at eye level
•      Checking posture and  sit up straight
•      Incorporating little stretches into daily routines
•      Giving up social media every so often and finding time to do something else

Social media can be fun in the proper doses, but do yourself and your body a favor and be sure to take frequent breaks. Take a pause from putting so much unnecessary stress on your body to get some fresh air, move around, and stretch. Don’t be a slave to your device and watch not only your mental well-being but your physical improve as a result.