There is a lot of good to come from social media, but with the good comes the bad and you might find you need to take a break from it. Experts say we all should consider it.

Maintaining friendships and keeping informed are great benefits, but too much time online has been found to lead to depression, anxiety and stress and unhealthy relationships with social media platforms can form.

So how do you know if it’s the right time to take a break from social media?

• If you’re compulsively checking your phone, that’s probably sign #1. If it affects your job or family time, that’s a big problem.

• If you fall asleep feeling “off” or if you find you’re waking up worried about something you saw the night before, you might need to set up some boundaries.

• When real-life interactions suffering at the expense of getting wrapped up in online arguments, reassessing priorities may be in order.

• And if you’ve started viewing yourself negatively and comparing yourself to others online, a break may be in order.

The benefits or social media breaks can lead to new opportunities – picking up hobbies you’ve been interested in or practicing self-care, and less screen blue light can improve sleep and productivity.

Limiting your time online, getting outside, and saying no to notifications are an easy way to start rather than completely cutting yourself off. A good way to view things – think of social media like food consumption, and limit your digital calories.

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Most of us will have one back problem or another at least once in our lifetimes. Most back injuries come from strain or damage over time, but there are some tips you can follow now to avoid problems later.

Keep active and maintain a healthy diet and weight – carrying too much on your body will weigh down on your spine.

Maintain good posture – poor posture is caused by everything from stress, obesity, pregnancy, even shoes that are too tight! When sitting at your desk, keep your feet on the floor and avoid crossing your legs, and when laying down at night, make sure you lay on your back or side, not your stomach. And try to sleep on a mattress that’s not too soft to minimize any curve in your spine.

When lifting objects, life with your knees, and keep the object close to your body, and don’t twist when lifting.

And if you do have back pain, make sure you consult your doctor. But taking these steps can likely keep your back healthy for years to come!

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While we’ve got a nice stretch of weather upon us, if you spot someone running, it’s not unusual.

Unless, of course, you see them doing the newest health trend – running backwards!

Reverse running is a trend that’s been around for a while, but it’s starting to become more common. And there are some benefits.

It helps burn more calories – 20 to 30% more – than face forward running. And it’s even better for your knees because of the way your feet land, the pounding on your knees is lessened.

However, there’s negatives – it’s far easier to trip and fall, and you’ll look kind of foolish.

But if you can past that, it may be the next best way to keep in shape!

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If the last few years has left you in a funk, and you want to get your day started off on the right foot, there’s a few tips to take – all new ways in the morning habits to get your day started right:

First and foremost – use and actual alarm clock. Most of use a phone, but that means you will likely start your day looking at social media instead of getting up properly.

Begin the day with gratitude – take 30 seconds to be thankful for something in your life – even if it’s just having had a good night’s sleep, or the breakfast you’re about to have.

Set daily intentions – just a few things that you want to accomplish that day; nothing big, just realistic goals you can look forward to achieving.

Drink water – usually it’s coffee first thing in the morning, but water is better first if you’ve been asleep for a few hours, you’re dehydrated.

And if you start your day with exercise, it’ll release endorphins, which help relieve stress, and you’ll get it out of the way, so you don’t skip your workout later in the day.

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You’re probably familiar with sleep apnea, but have you heard about screen apnea?

It’s the same – but instead of stopping breathing when you’re asleep, you do it when you stare too long at a screen.

You don’t stop breathing entirely, but your breathing rhythm alters – you may hold your breath without realizing, or even take shallower breaths.

The reason it happens is because of how our bodies react to stimuli – our nervous system responds to help us focus. It often happens when we get e-mails or texts as we prepare to check and respond.

But the constant receival of messages means we’re constantly overstimulated and puts our bodies into a chronic state of threat which makes us feel more exhausted every day.

If you do find yourself holding your breath, sigh out loud – it may help reset your breathing and take deeper breaths again.

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