Work at a desk? You probably have screen apnea

Your phone pings. The red dot on your inbox taunts you again. What can it be this time? Which message will you respond to first? You breathe in with anticipation… but then, you don’t breathe out.

This chronic breath-holding is known as screen apnea, and a lot of us are doing it without even realizing it.

Sometimes called email apnea, it can actually happen when we use any screen at any time – whether you’re pumping out work at your desk, waiting in a virtual queue for concert tickets or trouncing your bestie in an online game.

And when you’re using screens all day, every day, the impacts can add up.

Why should I care about screen apnea?

When we’re faced with any kind of stimulus – whether it’s a bear attack or an email from the boss – our nervous system looks for signals to decipher whether or not it’s a threat.

Because our screens and notifications are delivering almost constant stimulation, this can put our sympathetic nervous system under pressure. And a natural response to that pressure is short and shallow breathing, or even periods of unknowingly holding your breath.

This triggers your body’s “fight or flight” response, which as well as rocketing stress levels, can lead to physical pain like stiffness and headaches. Unchecked stress can also have serious impacts on your long-term health.