How Smartphones Are Damaging Our Posture, Mood, and Memory

There are countless reasons to put your smartphone down, and one of the most compelling is that constantly checking notifications disconnects us from the real world and genuine interactions with friends and family. But an even more critical revelation is that smartphones are ruining our posture. This not only causes neck problems but also affects our mood and productivity.

Next time you’re in a public space, take a moment to look around. How many people nearby are hunched over their smartphones? They’re neglecting their posture, and technology is to blame.

Steve August, a physiotherapist from New Zealand, refers to this body position as the “iHunch.” Another term, “iPosture,” was coined by Amy Cuddy, a professor at Harvard Business School.

The average human head weighs between 10 to 12 pounds. To comfortably view a phone screen, we tilt our necks forward by about 60 degrees, increasing the effective weight on our necks to nearly 66 pounds! When Steve August began his practice around 30 years ago, he mostly saw hunched posture in older adults. Today, he sadly observes this issue increasingly affecting teenagers.

When we feel sad, we tend to slouch. This posture is also common when experiencing fear or helplessness. Studies have shown that individuals with clinical depression adopt a posture strikingly similar to the iHunch. A 2010 study described depressed patients as having a forward-thrust neck, slumped shoulders, and arms drawn close to the body.

Posture doesn’t just reflect our emotional state—it can also influence our mood. In 2015, Dr. Shwetha Nair and her team conducted an experiment asking non-depressed participants to sit either upright or slouched. They then answered questions similar to those in stressful interview scenarios.

The results revealed that participants who slouched rated their abilities lower and exhibited a generally negative outlook.

Researchers concluded that maintaining an upright posture is a simple yet effective way to boost stress resilience.

Slouching also impacts memory. A 2014 study asked participants to sit either upright or hunched while memorizing a list of words—half positive, half negative. Those sitting upright recalled significantly more words, especially positive ones, while those slouched remembered mostly negative words.

Earlier, in 2009, researchers found that Japanese students who maintained good posture during lessons were more productive in class.

How else does slouching affect our behavior and mood? Maarten W. Bos and Amy Cuddy explored this by having participants spend five minutes using smartphones, tablets, laptops, or desktop computers. They then observed how quickly participants asked to leave. The device size played a crucial role. Those using smaller devices like smartphones, often in a hunched position, were less likely to assert themselves or request to leave, even after the allotted time had passed.

It appears there is a direct correlation between device size and its influence on us.

The smaller the device, the more we have to adjust our bodies to use it comfortably, and the more we surrender to our smartphones.

Ironically, we rely on smartphones and other compact gadgets to enhance our productivity and efficiency. Yet, interacting with them undermines our self-confidence and mood. Despite this, we continue to depend heavily on these devices, spending hours bent over screens without plans to change anytime soon.

However, combating this slouching habit is possible.

• When holding your phone, pull your shoulders and head back—even if it means raising the screen to eye level.
• Incorporate stretching exercises and massage the muscles between your shoulder blades and along your neck to restore flexibility.
• Next time you pick up your phone, remember this advice: gadgets encourage slouching, which harms your mood and memory.

Your posture significantly affects your psychological well-being and can be the key to maintaining a positive mindset and self-confidence.

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