Have you heard of Tech Neck?
Tech Neck is described as neck pain that’s caused by repetitive strain and injury to the muscles and other tissue structures of the cervical spine.
When you tilt your head forward and look down, which is the common posture for texting, the weight of your head places 50-60 pounds of force on the neck.
Your neck simply isn’t built to withstand that type of force for prolonged periods. The result is muscular and ligamentous strain and other structural issues that cause the symptoms associated with tech neck.
Symptoms related to tech neck are typically mild in the initial phases and increase as the condition advances. The most frequently reported symptoms include:
- Generalized aching discomfort in the lower neck, shoulders, and upper back
- Sharp, stabbing pain that’s intense and localized in one spot
- Headaches
- Reduced mobility or stiffness in the neck, upper back, and shoulders
- Increased pain when tilting the head forward and looking down to text
- Jaw pain due to misalignment of the cervical spine
- Tingling pain and numbness in the arms and hands, related to spinal nerve irritation and inflammation.
Prolonged screen time can also cause certain muscles in your neck, chest, and upper back to get weaker. This makes it difficult to maintain good posture, which is having your ears directly over the shoulders, which can make the symptoms of tech neck even worse.
I’ve got my own cure for Tech Neck.
Tech Neck doesn’t sound very inviting, does it?
But there is a simple solution.
Instead of looking at your phone when you’re outside or walking around anywhere, you can look for things you can feel grateful for, instead of your phone.
You can do this anytime really.
If you work inside most of the day, make time to take a 15-30 minute walk outside. This is perfect for a lunch break. Not only is this a solution for tech neck, but it can count as your daily exercise too! Pretty cool huh!!
It’s best to do this in nature but anything outside will do.
Look around you and notice as many pleasant things as possible to create positive feelings inside yourself.
Is it a nice day? People differ in how they define a nice day. For example, my sister-in-law feels cozy on a cloudy day, while I feel the yucks.
If it’s raining, what does rain make possible that you can be grateful for?
If it’s a sunny day, what does a bright day make possible to be grateful for?
With whatever kind of day it is, consider the following questions:
Do you see any flowers? Are they your favorite color or type of flower?
Can you smell anything that is pleasant?
What color combinations can you see? Blue sky/Green leaves/white clouds
Can you hear any birds?
What song are they singing?
How does the song make you feel?
Does your body feel strong while walking?
What parts of your body does that help you feel grateful for?
What about the temperature?
What about the people you pass?
Are you smiling by now? Are people smiling back?
Maybe you could start saying hello to people you pass.
Our emotional state depends on what we’re looking for.
When you look for the good, you feel good.
Going on a walk with the intention of noticing things to be thankful for every day will produce more feelings of gratitude. And that feels really good, wouldn’t you say?
Way better than tech neck!!
Report back what you notice.
Send me an email and let me know how taking a gratitude walk changes your day.
I’m at marla@hunkeedori.com or you can DM me on Instagram.
To end this podcast today, I’d like to encourage you to help me get the word out about this podcast.
You can do that three ways:
Leave a review.
Rate the podcast.
Tell a friend.
I’m really wanting to encourage you to leave a review on this podcast.
It’s easy to do.
If you’re listening on your phone, here’s how you do it.
-If you’re already looking at the episodes of my podcast, continue scrolling down.
-You’ll see in bold letters: RATINGS & REVIEWS
-See those hollow stars?
Tap the number of stars you’d like to give me….5 would be awesome!
-Keep scrolling down, you’ll see some of the reviews that others have left me, just below that, it says next to a checked box…WRITE A REVIEW in purple.
-tap that
-Then, type in anything you’d like to say about the podcast. You can make it short and sweet or as long as you’d like. I’d appreciate anything you have to say.
This helps more people find the podcast. It tells Apple to show it to more people and that’s what we want!
To thank those who leave me a review before the end of June, 2023, I am having a give-a-way.
Anyone who leaves a review before June 30, 2023, will be entered into a drawing to win a very Exclusive mug. I only had 2 made. I gave one to a friend that is my biggest supporter of the podcast (shout out to Kirsten) and I have one more. I will send it to one lucky listener who leaves me a review before June 30, 2023. I want to leave it open for a month because not everyone hears the episodes as soon as they come out. Thanks in advance to each of you who takes just a few minutes to do that for me.
I’ll post a picture of that mug on Instagram and on my Facebook page so you can see it. You’ll find me at Hunkeedori everywhere!
Thanks for joining me here today and remember:
I see you. I understand how hard you’re trying, and I’d like to help however I can.
Have a wonderful day and I’ll see you back here next week.
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