New Delhi: We talk endlessly about screen time affecting our eyes, posture, sleep, and mental health. What rarely comes up is breathing. Yet, doctors notice a subtle pattern—people who are otherwise healthy, non-smokers, and physically active complaining of breathlessness, chest tightness, frequent sighing, or the feeling that they “can’t take a full breath.” Often, the cause isn’t lung disease. It’s the way they breathe while glued to their screens.

Dr. A Jayachandra, Clinical Director and Senior Interventional Pulmonologist, CARE Hospitals, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, in an interaction with News9Live, said that this emerging phenomenon is something many of us now recognise as “tech breath.” The expert went on to answer some common FAQs about the condition.

What Exactly Is “Tech Breath”?

Tech breath isn’t a medical diagnosis, but it describes a set of breathing changes linked to prolonged screen use. When we’re focused on phones, laptops, or tablets, breathing tends to become shallow, irregular, and upper-chest-dominant. Many people unknowingly hold their breath while reading, scrolling, or typing, especially during stressful or immersive tasks.

With time, this breathing pattern disturbs the normal rhythm and limits efficient oxygen use, which can make people feel fatigued, anxious, or breathless despite normal lung test results.

Why Screens Change Our Breathing

Screens demand attention—and attention alters physiology. Here’s how:

1. Forward head posture compresses the chest and limits lung expansion


2. Mental engagement and stress trigger breath-holding or rapid, shallow breathing


3. Sedentary sitting weakens the diaphragm, our primary breathing muscle


4. Multitasking on screens keeps the nervous system in a low-grade “alert” mode

The body adapts to this pattern, and soon shallow breathing becomes the default—even away from screens.

What are the symptoms?

Patients often don’t connect these symptoms to screen habits:

1. Frequent yawning or sighing


2. A constant urge to take deep breaths


3. Tightness in the chest without wheezing


4. Shortness of breath during mild activity


5. Anxiety that worsens breathing discomfort


6. Neck, shoulder, or upper back stiffness

Importantly, many of these patients have normal X-rays, spirometry, and oxygen levels, which adds to their frustration.

How “Tech Breath” Differs from Lung Disease

This is crucial to understand. Tech breath does not damage lung tissue. It affects breathing mechanics and control, not lung capacity itself. Unlike asthma or COPD, symptoms often improve when posture, breathing awareness, and screen habits are corrected.  However, in people with existing respiratory conditions, poor breathing patterns can worsen symptoms and unnecessarily increase inhaler dependence.

Who Is Most at Risk?

1. Office professionals working long screen hours


2. Teenagers and young adults with heavy phone use


3. Gamers and content creators


4. People working from beds or couches


5. Individuals under chronic stress

Children, too, are not immune—especially with early exposure to prolonged device use and reduced outdoor activity.

Simple Ways to Reset Healthy Breathing

You don’t need gadgets or apps. Small, consistent changes work best:

1. Screen posture matters: Keep screens at eye level. Feet flat on the floor. Avoid slouching or neck craning.


2. Breathe with the diaphragm: Place one hand on your chest and one on your abdomen. When you breathe in, the lower hand should rise higher than the upper hand.


3. Take breathing breaks: Every 30–45 minutes, pause and take five slow nasal breaths. It resets the nervous system.


4. Don’t multitask constantly: Continuous notifications fragment attention and disrupt breathing rhythm.


5. Move daily: Walking, swimming, or yoga naturally restores healthy breathing patterns.

When to See a Doctor

Breathlessness that keeps returning, worsens, or shows up with wheezing, chest pain, poor sleep, or getting tired easily shouldn’t be ignored and needs proper medical attention. Not all breathing discomfort is screen-, and serious conditions must be ruled out first.

A Quiet Health Shift We Shouldn’t Ignore

Technology isn’t the enemy. Unaware use is. Breathing is one of the few bodily functions that sits between conscious and automatic control. When screens interfere with it, the effects are subtle—but real. Sometimes, the solution isn’t another test or medication. It’s learning how to breathe properly again, away from the glow of a screen.