The way we use technology is harming our health. Technology has impacted almost every area of human life: our family, our work, our play. This guide looks closely at how technology is impacting one of the most important areas: our health. We invite you to download the guide, take a deep dive into the data and start incorporating the tips it contains, including 6 Healthy Habits for Tech Users and Digital Cures for Silicon Valley Syndrome.

1. SILICON
VALLEY
SYNDROME

2. SILICON
VALLEY
SYNDROME
LUMOback

3. sil•i•con val•ley syn•drome
[sil-i-kon val-ee sin-drohm]
Physical or mental health symptoms arising from
the way we use - or abuse - technology.
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4. Isn’t it interesting how much we Information Age human
beings identify with the technology we use? We see
ourselves as Apple people or Android people, “early
adopters” or uber-connected execs. We twitch with anxiety
when we misplace our phones or can’t get a connection for
a moment.
As we see it, though, that twitch is a sign that we might be
missing the point. We love technology and the ease it brings
to our lives as much as the next guy (we are founders of a
Silicon Valley tech company, after all). But we’ve realized that
in addition to technology serving as a smart extension of our
bodies and minds, there are a number of ways in which tech-
savvy people are using and abusing technology, resulting in
harmful health effects and setting us up for a series of health
pandemics in the not-so-far-off future.
We call this Silicon Valley Syndrome: a collection of physical
and mental health symptoms that arise from the way we use,
overuse or flat-out abuse technology. IIn a recent survey we
conducted, a whopping 60% of Americans said they have
had some physical symptoms or health issues arising out of
their use of technology or sitting at a desk.
So,wedugdeeper,askingmorequestionstofullyunderstand
who is facing Silicon Valley Syndrome and what they are
doing to try to address it. This Guide reveals the shockingly
wide scope of the problem, and how it is manifesting in the
lives and bodies of heavy tech users like us - and like you.
Fortunately, that’s just the beginning of the story.
Our mission at LUMO is to create products and surface
insights to give our bodies a voice and hope for solutions
to the 21st century health challenges we face. So read
on. We hope you’ll find not only a deeper understanding
of how technology is harming your health, but also some
surprisingly simple steps you can take to build a healthy
habit and healthy body without ditching your laptop, phone
or career.
Co-Founders of LUMO BodyTech
Friends,
Monisha Perkash Charles Wang, MD Andrew Chang

5. LUMOback
SILICON VALLEY
SYNDROME
HowTheWayWeUseTechnologyisHarmingOurHealth
Technology has impacted almost every area of human life: our families, our work,
our play. In a survey, we asked Americans how their use of technology was impacting
one of the most important elements of our lives: our health. Here’s what they said:
West Coast residents feel the health effects of using technology or
sitting at a desk more than their East Coast Counterparts.
Women were more likely to say they have experienced health problems
related to the overuse of technology or sitting at a desk than than men.
Headaches
Eye Strain
Neck Pain
Back Pain
Upper Back Pain
Lower Back Pain
Wrist Pain
Carpel Tunnel Syndrome
Insomnia
Other
24%
36%
27%
30%
12%
24%
21%
11%
9%
2%
WEST
coast
NORTH
east
60%experience health problems
related to the use of technology
or sitting at a desk
66% 53%
Health Issues
42% 31%
Eye Strain
33% 26%
Neck Pain
28% 20%
Back Pain
63% 56%
To Alleviate Health Problems from Using Tech or Sitting at a Desk...
18-34 year olds were 3 times as
likely to reduce tech time as the
older Generation Rx.
Older Americans were twice as
likely to take meds as the younger
Generation Self-Control.
GenerationSelf-Control Generation
3x 2x
Source: Survey conducted by Harris Interactive for LUMO Body Tech in Sept 2013 among 2019 American adults.

6. LUMOback
Over a career, this translates into
over 5 years of life sitting at work.
There are over 100 million
*
computer
workers in the United States.
On average, LUMOback data shows people sit for
48,360
hours
over a 30 year career.
6.2
hours
during a 9–5 work day.
8AM
STRAIGHT
SLOUCH
9AM 10AM 11AM 12PM 1PM 2PM 3PM 4PM 5PM
The Afternoon Slouch
* Source: Survey conducted by Harris Interactive for LUMO Body Tech in September 2013 among 2019 American adults.

7. THEHIGHCOST
OF TECH OVERUSE
On Your Body...
is spent annually on American workers’ comp due to
repetitive stress injuries.
cases of computer-related
eye strain are reported
each year.
of Americans said they
have neck pain as a result
of their use of technology.
away from work
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
involves a median
Low back pain is the most
common cause of work-
related disability in people
$20 Billion
is spent in the U.S. on lost productivity, employee turnover,
and other indirect expenses.
computer professionals have some computer-related
health problem.
Americans send
and receive
Computer workers
perform up to
In an 8-hour work day,
desk workers sit
text messages a day
on average.
keystrokes a day
on average.
hours a day
on average.
$100 Billion
10 Million
27%
28 DAYS
Under 45
41 6.2200K
On Your Business...
3 out of 4
Sources: LUMO Body Tech user and survey data, Pew Center for Research, United States Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention, United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, UCLA Ergonomics, American
Optometric Association, Indian J Community Med. 2009 October; 34(4): 326–328
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8. THENEXT
GENERATION
50% 32
9,000,000 young people could be affected with serious musculoskeletal
disorders from tech use before they even join the workforce.
of university students suffer pain or
discomfort associated with the
use of computers.
The number of hours an average
pre-schooler spends every week
looking at a screen.
Sources: Boston University Occupational Therapy, Minnesota Department of HealthLUMOback

9. HEALTHY
HABITSFOR
TECH USERS
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10. Do it. Now. Seriously. You might have heard by
now that sitting is the new smoking, but you might
not have heard why: for every hour of sitting,
researchers say you lose 22 minutes off your life.
If you work at a computer every day, you can
minimize the health harms of sitting by simply
setting a goal to stand up 2 times every hour.
Pick one day a week to give your body and mind
a rest from the continual, low-level stresses of
constant connectivity. Many people pick Saturday
or Sunday. If you can’t forego the device usage
entirely off for a full day, consider whether you can
do a mini-Sabbath during your Saturday morning
run or Sunday brunch with your friends.
One of our mantras at LUMO is that the best
movement you can make is the next movement
you make. Moving is essential, and moving as
much as possible throughout the day solves for
a number of the health problems associated with
sitting too much, repetitive movement ailments
and other symptoms of technology overuse.
With people! Don’t mistake online “friends” with
real-life relationships. Make an effort to connect
with those you care about offline, and to put your
phone away while you’re with them. Checking
texts or Facebook while you’re walking, during
meals or during other in-person activities can be
dangerous to your body—and your relationships.
If you start working early or late, chances are you
don’t get enough natural light in the course of the
day - and too much bright screen light at the hours
your body needs to wind down. This is a common
cause of tech-related sleep disorders. Get moving
and pamper your circadian rhythms by taking a
20-30 minute walk in natural sunlight every day.
Checking email and social media the second
your eyes open in the morning is a sign that you
might have unhealthy habits. Consider putting a
boundary in place where you don’t check email
before a certain time of day—and you power all
devices down an hour or two before you hit the
hay at night. Try it.
stand up
Digital Detox
Move More
connect
Get Outside
Boundaries
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11. If you believe you are dealing with a case of Silicon Valley Syndrome,
chances are good that your first instinct is to Google “back pain” or
“eyes hurt from using computer.” Some would tell you the cure to what
ails you is to simply stop using your laptop and gadgets - period. But
beyond a vacation, it can be nearly impossible to live your life and get
all your obligations met over the long run without using the tech tools
that have caused your problem.
Fortunately, there are a number of smart ways to use your go-to
technologies to actually resolve many of your Silicon Valley Syndrome
symptoms.
DIGITAL
CURESFOR
SILICONVALLEYSYNDROME
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12. Reduce
Tech time
Track
yourself
digital
coaches
We all know that gadgets can be
addictive. If you’re trying to retrain
yourself to reduce the amount of time
you spend checking your phone, email or
Facebook, try using some technological
trainers to help you change your own
habits. Plug your wi-fi power cord into
an inexpensive shutoff timer to make
it much more difficult to work or check
email after bedtime.
Similarly, KeepMeOut.com allows you to
block yourself from visiting those time-
suck sites you find particularly addictive
- it’s a great way to kick the habit, so you
can retrain yourself into healthier surfing
habits.
At LUMO, we like to say that you can’t
change what you can’t measure. Harness
the power of technology to track any and
everything that might be causing your
own personal Silicon Valley Syndrome
symptoms, from the length of time you
spend sitting to the length of time you
spend looking at a screen.
The LUMOback sensor tracks a number
of these things for you effortlessly,
including:
• how long you sit
• time standing, walking and running
• your time lying down
• the calories you burn every day
• your number of stand-ups.
There are hundreds of digital tools that
can actually prompt you to take an action
that can minimize the health impacts of
your tech usage. LUMOback is named
after your smart posture coach, LUMO,
who actually mirrors your posture in real
time on the app and turns orange and sad
when you break out of correct posture.
Reviewers at Oprah, the WSJ and Fox
Business have all mentioned wanting to
make LUMO straight as the reasons they
felt their posture improve while wearing
LUMO.
Examples of other coaches are apps
like Big Stretch and Stretch Clock which
prompt you to take regular work breaks
during which you can do everything from
stretch to take a walk.
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13. Stand tall and sit well using the LUMOback™ posture and activity feedback
system. The sensor provides a gentle vibration when you slouch from
your lower back. It is worn around your waist and designed to be slim,
sleek and so comfortable that you barely feel it when you have it on.
When synced with your smartphone, the LUMOback app tracks your steps,
time spent sitting, calories burned, and even your sleep habits. Anyone can use
LUMOback. It’s simple and integrates into your daily routine.
Watch how LUMO works at LUMOback.com
BROUGHT TO YOU
BY LUMO