Health · Fitness & Nutrition · 20 hrs ago
Prolonged screen use may affect breathing through posture and inactivity
A respiratory medicine specialist at Narayana Hospital in Howrah says long periods of screen use may affect breathing indirectly.
The link is often related to slouching and staying still for a long time, rather than screens directly changing the lungs.
Leaning forward and rounding the shoulders can make it harder for the chest and diaphragm to move freely, which may lead to shallow breathing.
This does not necessarily mean someone has lung disease, but breathing difficulty, wheezing, a chronic cough, chest pain or a major drop in exercise tolerance should not be blamed on screen use alone.
The specialist recommends sitting upright, placing screens at a comfortable height and taking regular breaks to move.
Gentle chest and shoulder stretches, exercise and calm, slow breathing may also help.
The advice is to stay active and seek attention for concerning symptoms rather than assuming screens are the cause.
Prolonged screen use may indirectly affect breathing through slouched posture and long periods of inactivity, pulmonologist Dr Sandeep Jain said.
A forward-head position and rounded shoulders can restrict the chest and diaphragm from moving freely, contributing to shallow breathing.
Jain said changes in breathing do not necessarily indicate lung disease, but warned against dismissing persistent or serious symptoms.
He recommended movement breaks, an upright posture, screen adjustments, stretching, exercise and calm breathing.
- Who
- Dr Sandeep Jain, a consultant in respiratory medicine and interventional pulmonology at Narayana Hospital, Howrah, explained the possible link.
- What
- Prolonged screen use may indirectly affect breathing through posture and inactivity.
- When
- Not stated
- Where
- Narayana Hospital, Howrah, is where Jain works. The article does not state where the effects occur.
- Why
- Slouched posture can restrict chest and diaphragm movement, while inactivity may affect cardiorespiratory fitness.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The very position that we occupy when using our devices, along with long periods of inactivity, can affect the way we breathe. For many people, this results in what is called shallow breathing.
People tend to adopt a forward-head position, rounded shoulders, and slouched posture. Thus, it becomes difficult for the chest and diaphragm to move freely and breathe normally.
Symptoms such as difficulty breathing, wheezing, chronic cough, chest pain, or significant worsening of exercise tolerance should not automatically be attributed to the use of screens. There can be many reasons for these symptoms; for example, it can be asthma, respiratory infections, allergies, heart problems, and many other diseases.
Lungs are meant to function properly when there is constant movement; therefore, making the body move regularly, having the right body position, and being aware of breathing problems is a simple but very effective measure towards the improvement of lungs.
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- Expert
- Dr Sandeep Jain
- Hospital
- Narayana Hospital, Howrah
- Possible breathing change
- Shallow breathing
- Postural factors
- Forward-head position, rounded shoulders and slouched posture
- Recommended habit
- Take regular movement breaks
Sources
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