It’s pretty common knowledge that office workers across the world have a sedentary lifestyle, which is linked with a whole host of potential health problems. But did you know that most of us also unconsciously hold our breath when staring into an electronic screen?

The phenomenon was discovered by former Microsoft executive Linda Stone back in 2008, who named it email apnea. While she did a lot of breathing exercises at home, she realised those went out the window when she was in front of her computer screen looking through her emails. Fast forward to the 2020s and it’s not just emails that cause us to hold our breath. Laptops and smartphones are now part of our everyday lives, meaning we spend more time than ever before using electronic devices.

What’s going on in our bodies when this happens? What are the health effects? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

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A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.

First Broadcast: 18/10/2023

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