How your Cell Phone may be Contributing to a Decline in your Body.
Throughout my 39-year career, I have witnessed trends come and go. Some have gripped the public's attention more tightly and for longer periods than others. One 'trend' that has firmly entrenched itself in society, refusing to let go, is our relationship with handheld devices. The effects of this relationship extend far beyond physical issues. My personal training & stretch business has been inundated with clients in need of postural correction, hip decompression, core strengthening and, most importantly, the need to reconnect with their bodies before we can embark on their workouts. This is a pressing issue that demands our attention.
Unfortunately, we have become a society with burgeoning sedentary habits and an addiction to the instantly gratifying nature of our technology. Sadly, the byproduct of our current circumstances is the feeling of carrying the world's weight on our shoulders, as well as weakened neck, back and core muscles which can lead to a host of problems in the body. Scanning for countless hours over social media platforms is truly detrimental for our body, mind or spirit.
Additionally, chronic stress and anxiety grow within us due to vastly elevated cortisol levels. Cortisol is an essential hormone with significant impacts. It plays numerous vital roles, including the regulation of our body’s stress response, as well as its use of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. The long-term effects of high cortisol levels do not stop with high blood pressure and a weakened immune system but catalyze a domino effect of adverse physical and mental ailments that leave us feeling defeated and exhausted.
In this realm of uncertainty and restlessness, a beacon of hope shines through, one of the body’s most remarkable qualities-its adaptability! We can train our bodies to regulate high-stress hormones, returning them to normal, more manageable levels. Stretching, Yoga, journaling, and daily mindfulness are just a few of the many paths we can tread to achieve this.
After experiencing a transformative journey with this approach for myself and my clientele, it became clear to me that strength training and cardio were no longer sufficient as the only modalities of training the body. This is especially true as the body ages. A lifetime of sitting too much behind a computer, working in industries that are physical taxing on the body, overuse of our cell phones and then adding to it the stress of everyday life, we need to incorporate a more holistic and well rounded approach that includes relaxation, stretching and more meaningful ways of unwinding the tissue in our body which will help to reduce the elevated levels of cortisol and bring much needed peace into our lives and creating a stronger body from the inside out.
As a veteran of this industry I can confidently state that taking the time to embrace a comprehensive approach to soothing our physical and mental bodies so we can feel rejuvenated and motivated to incorporate healthier practices into our lives is the best way to start feeling better. We stretch, and we breathe. We sweat, and we express our gratitude. We add simple forms of exercising such as walking daily - which helps reduce all the effects of our present age of technology by opening up the hips with each stride, working through balance with every step we take and rejuvenates the mind by being present - because you can’t scan your phone and walk at the same time is a great place to start. Just adding these few tips, whether we are a beginner just starting off on our exercise journey or a novice strength training devotee, you will find your body will thank you for cultivating these avenues of healing and help curb the effects of our daily overuse of devices and manage life in a more productive & meaningful manner.
