Effects+of+Technology+on+Physical+Well-Being

=Introduction= toc

We live in a high tech world. Technology has literally changed our lives. It has provided us with so many benefits. Technology has been incorporated into learning as it increases student participation and interaction, provides different perspectives, and allows for new knowledge to be obtained. Technology has also been used to help people stay healthy. Technology devices can be used to track our diet, manage our fitness efforts, and even track our sleep. However, overuse of technology can bring about some challenges. Preteens, teens, and young adults who have more screen time have been shown to have increase obesity, reduced physical activity, and decreased health (American Academy of Pediatrics). Most American’s spend on average about five hours per day looking at some kind of screen. It is clear that technology is not going to suddenly disappear from our lives as constant developments are being made. Technology can add unlimited value to our lives, but in order to fully appreciate technology, it is important to understand how technology impacts our physical activity, mental health, and physical health.

**Physical Activity**

For the most part, when you are using technology you are not exercising or being physically active. Too much technology use can cause fitness levels to drop. However, at the same time, this problem can also be fixed by technology use.

Apps
Fitness and health apps have become very popular for smartphone users. These apps are constantly being downloaded onto cell phones. Nike has produced an app that serves as a personal trainer, giving users access to full workouts. Fitbit has been one of the most popular technology advances in fitness. By wearing the Fitbit activity tracker, users can look at the app and see their steps, distance, and heart rate. Smart phones have provided a way for people to track their health and fitness information.

Exergames
Many kids, especially boys, play video games. Rather then playing outside, kids are sitting looking at a TV screen. Many technology advances have been geared towards helping people, specifically kids, become more active. Games like Wii Fit and Dance Dance Revolution made video games more physically demanding. Digital games that combine exercise with play, known as exergames, can help increase caloric expenditure, heart rate, and coordination (Staiano and Calvert, 2011). The Nintendo Wii was one of the biggest breakthroughs in exergames, as it used a sensor bar to detect player movement. There is some criticism towards exergames, mainly that these games encourage screen time and don’t provide motivation to sustain exercise. However, even just small amounts of physical activity are better then nothing.

No Technology: The Amish
While technology can help improve physical activity, some people believe that technology can ultimately be a distraction to completing one’s physical activity. The Amish are an interesting group of people to study when talking about physical activity and technology, as they live a life without modern conveniences. This means they don’t watch TV, use computers, or drive cars. These aspects of modern technology tend to decrease physical activity levels. The Amish on average get 4000 more steps each day compared to other Americans (Katz et al., 2012). Rather then being sedentary in front of a television or constantly looking at a screen on a computer or smart phone, the Amish end up being much more active then most Americans.

Impact of Technology
How does technology impact physical activity? Since the 1960s, screen based media use time has increased dramatically but leisure time physical activity like exercise has increased only modestly (Archer et al., 2013). Many people believe that if they have download an app or buy some new technology that it will solve their problem of not being active. However, technology does not change someones motivation or intentions towards exercise. At the same time, even if people are using fitness apps and technology properly, they can still become a distraction. Using technology while working out can cause people to not focus on their task and not give it their all. Technology can make it so people are not present with their physical activity. Technology can also become an obsessional habit, where one would rather sit and play on their iPhone rather then exercise.

**Mental Health**

Interfere with Sleep
Using an iPad, laptop, cellphone or other technology before bed can impact your sleep cycle. This is a result of the blue light that comes from the screens. The light coming from the screens “may actually fool our brains into thinking it's daytime. Exposure can disturb sleep patterns and exacerbate insomnia” (Sutter, 2010).

Altering Our Brains
Too much technology can actually change the way your brain is wired according to Psychology Today. It is thought that “juggling e-mail, phone calls and other incoming information can change how people think and behave. They say our ability to focus is being undermined by bursts of information” (Richtel, 2010). Many people feel that multitasking makes them more productive. However, this is actually not the case. People who constantly multitask actually have more difficulty focusing and often experience more stress (Richtel, 2010). Technology impacts how our brains develop, but “whether technology helps or hurts in the development of your children’s thinking depends on what specific technology is used and how and what frequency it is used” (Taylor, 2012). Video game technology can actually have some positive effects to the brain. Video games can “improve visual-spatial capabilities, increase attentional ability, reaction times, and the capacity to identify details among clutter” (Taylor, 2012).

Change How We Feel
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Using technology can impact our ability to empathize. One study found that children that went five days without exposure to technology were considerably better at reading and picking up on human emotions compared to kids who had access to computers, phones, and TVs (Uhls et al., 2014).

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 1.4em;">**Physical Health**

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 1.1em;">**Neck and Back Pain** <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">When you tilt your head to look at your phone, you are putting pressure on your neck. According to a study done by spine surgeon Kenneth Hansraj, when you bend your head to look at your phone, the pressure on your neck increases. Overstretching the neck can “cause muscle strain, pinched nerves, herniated disks and, over time, it can even remove the neck’s natural curve” (Bever, 2014). The impact of neck pain can lead to poor posture. As a result of poor posture, there are more health issues that arise. These include headaches, reduced lung capacity, depression, constipation, and heart disease (Firger, 2014).

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Irritated Eyes
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">Spending too much time looking at a screen can cause digital eye strain. Eye strain is not just happening to adults who are working all day, but in fact is being seen in more and more kids. According to Sarah Hinkley, ”as children acquire cellphones at younger ages and are using them more frequently during the day, we are seeing the symptoms presenting in younger children more than we have before” (Hellmich, 2014). Symptoms of digital eye strain include dry, red and irritated eyes, blurry vision, difficulties focusing, shoulder pain, neck pain, and headaches. Hinkley suggests limiting screen time and taking brakes, adjusting the brightness of the device, increase text size, as well as even using artificial tears to help prevent digital eye strain (Hellmich, 2014).

=<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Conclusion =

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">By no means should technology be cut out of our lives. As with pretty much everything in life, moderation is key. There are multiple ways to enjoy technology without the negative side effects. Monitoring technology and being responsible with how much you use technology make a huge impact on avoiding negative effects. Technology provides us with so many benefits and constantly makes our lives easier. However, every advantage has the possibility of creating a problem. By understanding the potential negative costs and decreasing them, technology use will remain beneficial to our lives.

<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 1.4em;">**References**

Anderson, Sarah, Christina Economos, and Aviva Must. "Active Play and Screen Time in US Children Aged 4 to 11 Years in Relation to Sociodemographic and Weight Status Characteristics: A Nationally Representative Cross-sectional Analysis." BMC Public Health 8, no. 1 (October 22, 2008). doi:10.1186/1471-2458-8-366.

Archer, Edward, Robin Shook, Diana Thomas, Timothy Church, Peter Katzmarzyk, James Hébert, Kerry Mciver, Gregory Hand, Carl Lavie, and Steven Blair. "45-Year Trends in Women’s Use of Time and Household Management Energy Expenditure." PLoS ONE 8, no. 2 (February 2013). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0056620.

Bever, Lindsey. "‘Text Neck’ Is Becoming an ‘epidemic’ and Could Wreck Your Spine." The Washington Post. November 20, 2014. Accessed December 8, 2016. [].

Epstein, Zach. "Horrifying Chart Reveals How Much Time We Spend Staring at Screens Each Day." BGR. May 29, 2014. Accessed December 9, 2016. [].

Firger, Jessica. "OMG, You're Texting Your Way to Back Pain." CBSNews. November 21, 2014. Accessed December 8, 2016. [].

Gregoire, Carolyn. "How Your IPhone Is Harming Your Health (INFOGRAPHIC)." The Huffington Post. January 23, 2014. Accessed December 7, 2016. [].

Hellmich, Nanci. "Digital Device Use Leads to Eye Strain, Even in Kids." USA Today. January 25, 2014. Accessed December 7, 2016. [].

Katz, Mira, Amy Ferketich, Benjamin Broder-Oldach, Amy Harley, Paul Reiter, Electra Paskett, and Clara Bloomfield. "Physical Activity Among Amish and Non-Amish Adults Living in Ohio Appalachia." Journal of Community Health 37, no. 2 (April 2012): 434-40. doi:10.1007/s10900-011-9460-9.

"Media and Children Communication Toolkit." Media and Children Communication Toolkit. Accessed November 20, 2016. [].

Pagani, Linda, Caroline Fitzpatrick, Tracie Barnett, and Eric Dubow. "Prospective Associations Between Early Childhood Television Exposure and Academic, Psychosocial, and Physical Well-being by Middle Childhood." Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine 164, no. 5 (May 2010). doi:10.1001/archpediatrics.2010.50.

Richtel, Matt. "Attached to Technology and Paying a Price." The New York Times. June 06, 2010. Accessed December 8, 2016. [].

Staiano, Amanda, and Sandra Calvert. "Exergames for Physical Education Courses: Physical, Social, and Cognitive Benefits." Child Development Perspectives 5, no. 2 (May 10, 2011): 93-98. doi:10.1111/j.1750-8606.2011.00162.x.

Sutter, John. "Trouble Sleeping? Maybe It's Your IPad." CNN. May 13, 2010. Accessed December 9, 2016. [].

Taylor, Jim. "How Technology Is Changing the Way Children Think and Focus." Psychology Today. December 4, 2012. Accessed December 6, 2016. [].

Uhls, Yalda, Minas Michikyan, Jordan Morris, Debra Garcia, Gary Small, Eleni Zgourou, and Patricia Greenfield. "Five Days at Outdoor Education Camp without Screens Improves Preteen Skills with Nonverbal Emotion Cues." Computers in Human Behavior 39 (October 2014): 387-92. Accessed December 5, 2016. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2014.05.036.

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