We’ve all heard that we need to spend more time outside and away from our desks. Maybe you’ve compromised and purchased a standing desk, so that you can at least dodge the ailments that result from sitting all day. Maybe you think about all the benefits your current way of life provides you – a good salary, PTO, that health insurance plan – and you think it’s worth it to spend hours at your desk staring at your computer.
Increasing numbers of peer-reviewed scientific studies are being released in support of the idea that lengthy computer usage is detrimental to our health, in ways ranging from physical through emotional. These are concerns to be taken seriously.
– Internet addiction disorder has been known to cause abnormalities in brain gray and white matter, as well as reduced cortical thickness and impaired cognitive functioning. [2014 Psychology Today article]
– Social media usage facilitates social comparison, which can easily lead to jealousy, low self-esteem, and even depression. [2015 Forbes article]
– Sitting at your desk or indoors for extended periods of time promotes a sedentary lifestyle that is linked to chronic kidney disease [1], diabetes and depression (in pregnant women) [2], and an increased risk of serious illness including heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and obesity [3].