Copyright Live 5 News WCSC
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Many 20 and 30-year-olds say they are feeling twice their age in today’s tech-driven society, and experts say the phenomenon known as “digital aging” is real. Dr. Sarah Coker, director of psychiatry at Roper St. Francis, said being sedentary can make people feel like they have locked limbs. “If you think about your posture when you’re holding a phone or a tablet, you’re hunched over. You’re leaning. Or think of sitting at a desk right now. You kind of get complacent for a while, and you’re leaning over,” Coker said. “That all puts strain on you and your back hurts, your neck hurts, and now all of a sudden you used to think you’re kind of spry and move as a 20-year-old - you’re feeling tight and sore.” Blue light affects sleep and vision Coker said blue light from screens can affect vision, strain eyes and keep people up at night, causing feelings of fatigue. Katherine Gagnon, owner of Zinnia Wellness Painting in Charleston, teaches work-life balance in her workshops, but said she still sometimes feels the effects of too much scrolling and screen time. “I think it’s this yin-yang in terms of balance. As a business owner, I know I have to be on the phone for social media, for the marketing, and that’s really time consuming,” Gagnon said. Social media creates comparison anxiety Coker said social media has been problematic for people in causing depression and anxiety. “There’s this sense of loneliness, this anxiety, as far as look what they’re accomplishing, look at what they’re doing, look how much fun they’re having. It’s this comparison that’s unreachable,” she said. Exercise as effective as antidepressants To reverse the feeling of aging in the digital world, experts suggest getting outside. Coker said countless studies show that 35-40 minutes of vigorous exercise three days a week is just as effective as an antidepressant. Gagnon said the solution involves making time for self-care. “I think it’s really showing up and taking the time for ourselves. So, we can show up and be there for those we are responsible for,” she said. The more movement people do, the more alive they feel, reversing the effects of digital aging.
