"Suddenly Felt Choked While Using Phone"... Why 'Screen Apnea'?

Known as 'Screen Apnea'
Occurs when the body focuses on specific stimuli
Prolonged duration can strain the body

When focusing on a stationary computer monitor or smartphone screen, there are times when one unconsciously notices their breathing stopping. This phenomenon is called 'screen apnea.' Although this condition is not yet medically recognized as an official respiratory disorder, it has been reported through various experiments.

The New York Times (NYT) recently highlighted the causes of screen apnea. Screen apnea is not an official term used in academia. However, some informal experiments have confirmed that this phenomenon occurs.

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Back in 2008, Linda, a former Microsoft executive, conducted an unofficial experiment on screen apnea. She invited 200 participants to her home and observed how their heart rates and breathing changed while they checked their emails.

The results showed that 80% of the participants either held their breath or experienced changes in their breathing. Linda initially called this phenomenon 'email apnea,' but later renamed it 'screen apnea' after realizing that it also occurred when focusing on general computer screens, not just during email checking.

So why does screen apnea occur? Steven Forges, a psychiatry professor at the University of North Carolina, told the NYT, "Screen apnea is a response that occurs when the human body faces stress."

When a person concentrates and pays attention to a specific object, the body perceives this as a 'stimulus.' Upon receiving this stimulus, the nervous system must analyze whether it is a threat or not. During this brief moment, the body temporarily slows down metabolism to assist the nervous system. This is why it feels as if breathing stops while focusing on the screen.

Dr. Steven explained, "Occasionally experiencing this reflexive response is not harmful," but he also pointed out, "If you focus on screens all day, the nervous system perceives it as a chronic threat, which is dangerous." This is because prolonged occurrence of this phenomenon can lead to physical fatigue.

The way to relieve screen apnea is to 'ventilate' the mind. For example, setting an alarm to remind yourself to breathe regularly or consciously taking deep sighs to reset your breathing pattern are good methods.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.