What Is The Relationship Between Technology And Health?

Technology, especially cell phones, helps us stay connected and provides a world of knowledge in the palm of our hands. But does it make it harder for us to achieve physical fitness?

Rick Ferkel is a member of Central Michigan University's Physical Education and Sport faculty. He shared his expertise on how technology relates to your exercise goals.

Overall, the main part of the fitness plan that is most at risk is just starting the plan. Consider an abbreviated and applicable concept from Newton's First Law of Motion, an object remains at rest or in motion until acted upon by a force. For someone to start exercising, they have to make the choice to begin. It does not need to be long, and the intensity can vary for a multitude of reasons, but it all starts by choosing to act. If the individual is so weighed down by the desire to be on technology, the desire to get out and exercise has to be immense. If the individual is not weighed down by the pleasure and ease of technology, the desire to exercise does not have to be as great to begin. Exercise is planned physical activity to improve fitness. This can start small and then gradually increase, but it has to start. An individual must evaluate how much technology is blocking the ability to start. It can also be noted that many use technology as a way to help them exercise, which is a positive. If that is what someone needs to begin, then use it for good and productivity rather than a roadblock. A final comment on this topic, a main determinant of why many indicate they do not exercise is because of time. But if someone is spending 3-7 hours a day on recreational technology, time is not the issue, the prioritizing of time is.

Social media and video games are showing the largest dopamine releases, time usage and addictive effects. The makers of both technologies have used neuroscience research to trigger the release of dopamine and other brain mechanisms to keep users engaged for long periods of time. Social media is a fairly new phenomenon of roughly 20 years old, yet think about the number of users, time, money and other resources that is now spent on it. Over the last 6,000 years it wasn't even a consideration.