Who belongs to Gen Z?
Generation Z is the people who are born between the years of 1997 to 2012. They are characterized by being highly visual, global, social, and technological. They’re the most complex, connected, and well-educated generation in our history!
Gen Z makes up almost 30% of the population. They want to have a positive impact on the world. Approximately 60% of them are do-gooders, which means that they want their jobs to make an impact on the world. They also make up about 40% of all consumers all over the world.
Overall, Gen Z is a promising generation that can change the world for the better. But these world-changers have a problem that can cost them their life expectancy to be significantly lower compared to their parents and their grandparents. The reason for this is not the food that they’re eating nor anything else, but their posture!
Gen Z and their posture problem
According to a study, most 18-year olds spend an average of 7.5 hours on their smart devices every day. As Gen Z is hooked on this habit, they’re more prone to have bad posture. This results in a strained neck, slumped back, and rounded shoulder. When this happens, the spinal cord is put at risk - exposing the person to different types of degenerative joint diseases.
The spinal column serves as a bridge to the brain where important information travels through. It works when the body does simple to complicated movements. If the spinal cord is not properly taken care of, it will impact the general quality of life which may lead to serious illnesses and disorders.
2 Main Threats to Gen Z’s Health
There are so many health risks that people face nowadays. For Gen Z, these two (2) factors are the most threatening:
- Food
This problem has an abundance of research dedicated to it. There are also numerous nutrition and food safety solutions that are being created and discovered over the last 50 years.
- Posture
Unfortunately, this problem has only started to be taken seriously in the last 10 years. It’s only recently that people are being made aware of the risks of not observing proper posture as well as the ways these can be prevented.
For people who fail to take care of their spinal health, it is very common to develop a degenerative disease. This includes:
- Multiple sclerosis
- Arthritis
- Parkinson’s disease
- Muscular dystrophy
- Huntington’s disease
Gen Z does not have to suffer from this! The consequences of bad posture are not irreversible. At this point, many technologies are being developed and practices that can be adopted to prevent the posture problem from getting worse.
Let’s get to the bottom of the problem. First, let’s discuss the major issues, and then let’s go to the solutions and the practical things that Gen Z can do.
- Improper Workplace Ergonomics & Work at home Set up
As comfortable as it seems, working in bed, couch, and kitchen table can cause awkward posture. Here’s how to convert your workstation to posture-friendly
Use a proper desk that is between 28-30 inches in height
Deck thickness should not exceed to 2 inches
Allow adequate legroom minimum of 18-inch depth and 24- inch knee width
Place the monitor a least 18- 20 inches away
Proper Posture = Profit and Productivity
Research has concluded that observing proper back posture can increase the productivity of up to nine (9) minutes. This translates to three $ 3,000 savings on each employee! Imagine what all that extra money can do!
- Children growing up to bad posture using smart devices
Children’s bones are still developing. Practicing proper posture as they grow up is crucial. Parents should make sure that their children are not glued to the smart devices all-day while slouching or sticking their neck downwards.
For parents, it is highly recommended that you train your children to sit upright and face forward when using a smart device. They should also practice the proper hand position when using a desktop computer keyboard and mouse.
- Mental health effects of poor posture
Studies are linking poor posture to common mental health disorders. Currently, a huge number of Gen Z are diagnosed with clinical depression. This is attributed to slouching, and body pains in the neck and shoulders.
Bad posture is also a usual sign of low self-esteem. If Gen Z will work on improving their posture, not only will they look better but they will feel better and gain more confidence in every aspect of life.
- Taking Personal Responsibility of Your Posture
Companies can provide ergonomic desks and chairs. The government can mandate establishments to properly observe ergonomics in work and public spaces. However, Gen Z should not put their posture in the hands of other people. Everyone, especially Gen Z, should actively work on gaining more awareness, adapting recommended practices, and constantly observe proper habits to develop and maintain good posture.
Dr. Romina Ghassemi
Website: DRG@BAX-U.com
Phone Number: 8668662225
Tele-Consultation:
https://calendly.com/drrominaghassemi/telemedicin-consultation