An alarming case reported on May 21 this year raised serious concerns regarding the dangers of excessive smartphone use for young people, primarily while looking down. A 25-year-old Japanese man, who constantly looked down at his phone for extended periods, eventually lost the ability to lift his head and was diagnosed with “dropped head syndrome”.
While his case is considered rare, the serious consequences of holding a bent-neck posture for prolonged durations are undeniable. This is especially concerning for young people like Gen-Z, who are known to be on their phones throughout the day. DemandSage’s report on screen time statistics on July 10 tells us that Gen-Z averages 7 hours and 18 minutes per day in phone use.
Awareness of the consequences of excessive phone use is vital for Gen-Z not only to avoid a bent neck but also to avoid the many other risks surrounding it including sleep disruption, eye strain, increased stress from digital overload and short-term dopamine dependency.