Life With Technology Increases Stress
In many ways, technology has made life easier for many people. A smartphone alone allows you to do so much—set alarms, check schedules, get weather reports, browse headlines, bank, shop, receive and send mail, pay bills, get directions, listen to music, watch shows, look up information, track health and fitness, and of course, make phone calls.
You would think that with all this technology around us helping us run our lives more efficiently and conveniently, we could relax more. Unfortunately, this is not the reality. More and more research is revealing that technology has increased our stress levels. This stress has some negative impacts on our health.
Tech-Induced Stress
Many of us were once able to leave work at the office, go home and relax for the evening. Now, co-workers, bosses, and clients can contact us 24/7. We have access to our paperwork, emails, and work schedule at all times. People are compelled to work off-hours, or, if not, the thought of the things they need to do tend to nag at the brain. This has disrupted the work-life balance.
Distraction is another big problem. The constant alerts about phone calls, text messages, emails, new posts, advertisements, etc., are constantly taking our minds out of the moment and what we’re doing. This interferes with our ability to focus, learn, and remember things.
The obsession with checking social media has been dubbed “Fear Of Missing Out” by tech researchers, or “FOMO.” Social media platforms are designed to be addictive, and many individuals experience genuine panic due to FOMO.
When we see posts by people trying to show off their fabulous lives, it doesn’t occur to us that these people have problems too, or that many of these people aren’t being completely honest. Instead, we begin to feel depressed because we aren’t as happy, wealthy, or popular as other people.
How Chiropractic Care Can Help with Stress
All this stress takes its toll on our bodies, particularly the spine. Think about what happens to your posture when you’re stressed—shoulders get tense and start to slump; the head comes down and slightly forward; the back muscles begin to get tight. It’s no surprise that stress causes aches in the neck, upper back, and head.
The upper cervical spine consists of the seven top vertebrae, which run from the base of the skull into the upper back. This part of the spine is most impacted by stress. Poor posture caused by stress can lead to a misalignment of the vertebrae, which can cause problems like headaches, neck aches, backaches, jaw and facial tension, and migraines. When the upper cervical spine is inflamed, it may compress nerves and disrupt signals from the brain that are meant to control the body’s major systems and functions.
Overall, when stress affects the upper cervical spine, it’s like a domino effect that can lead to multiple health issues.
How We Can Help
Dr. Alex Bello of Los Angeles Upper Cervical is a specialist in the Blair Chiropractic Technique. The Blair technique is a modern chiropractic technique that uses technology to help with your stress, rather than cause it. Blair practitioners use state-of-the-art diagnostic 3D imaging tools to measure and calculate the angles of your unique anatomy. This helps Dr. Bello find even minute misalignments in the upper cervical spine.
Once detected, Dr. Bello can make adjustments with better precision. This allows him to use less pressure to gently correct misalignments and restore the health of the upper cervical spine. Once the spine is properly aligned, it will alleviate pain due to stress and tension. At that point, the body’s natural healing mechanisms are triggered to help repair damage and restore nerve function.
If you think technology has taken its toll on you, contact Dr. Bello for an appointment. He offers upper cervical chiropractic care to patients in Brentwood, Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Westwood, Culver City, Marina Del Rey, West Los Angeles, and the surrounding areas.