What does your average day look like – brushing the teeth, some scrolling, getting ready for work, some scrolling, commuting, working, and of course, more scrolling! After all, those Reels are waiting to be watched. You are not alone, most of us are guilty as charged. Being hunched over screens 24/7 (barring the sleep hours) has become the new normal.

Phone addiction is real and so is doomscrolling. What once used to be a guilty pleasure has now become an occupational hazard. People with desk jobs, social media managers — we see you. Back pain, neck pain, spondylitis seem to have become best friends (ride or die much?) with everyone. Trust them to never ghost you.

So what do we do when we’re stuck like a screen that gets hanged? Start over. Time to head to ground zero – the infant stage. Say what? It’s often prescribed for babies to have some tummy time. They lie flat on their tummies with hands on the mat or bed. It is said to help with posture, growth, and development for infants. But who said adults can’t try it?

The internet has a word for it and it’s going viral. This is the ‘adult tummy time’ – a chance to help with your posture and try to undo some of the damage caused by screens and scrolling. No, we’re not saying it – the Internet is, and experts have a lot to add too.

Going back to tummy time

First things first – what is tummy time?

Might sound like time for food, but no – it’s for your back. It’s encouraged for babies for their proper growth and development. Just as it sounds, it means making the baby lie down on their stomach. It is supposed to help babies gain control of their muscles in a slow and steady manner. But guess what, adulting is hard, and adult wellness, even harder.

Now, coming to screen zombies. Several studies highlight how ‘tech neck’ is reportedly a rising health problem in youngsters. To keep it simple, tech neck is basically keeping the neck in a forward posture. This causes our upper back, spine, and neck muscles to become extremely stiff, leading to pain and affecting neck mobility.

In a bid to undo some of the screen damage, adult tummy time comes to the rescue – and experts agree too.

“It is a big yes for adults who are dealing with postural issues, tech neck, back pain, cervical spine pain. Lying on your tummy helps to strengthen back muscles and stretches the front of our body – like the chest and abdomen – these can help to counteract the hunching posture,” Dr. Vandana Kumari, PT Physiotherapy, tells India Today.

She further explains that in this position, we have to hold our heads up against gravity. This will strengthen our neck muscles from the back and may improve the natural curve of the spine.

There is no denying how long logged-in hours leave people with rounded shoulders, weakened postural muscles, and other pain complaints.

“By simply lying on our stomach, we wake up the muscles that hold us tight from sitting, and give our spine a break – all in the time it takes to read on the screen. Back and neck muscles, stretching hip flexors, and improving posture can also help us manage spondylitis,” said Dr. Amith, HOD, Physiotherapy, SDM College of Naturopathy and Yogic Sciences.

While we’re in the clear about the benefits of adult tummy time, the question is: how far can this pose help Can it do more than just un-hunch?

Experts have definitely agreed on one thing: this works. It may work best for people with stiff backs who find it difficult to exercise to alleviate pain. For people with obesity who are often unable to exercise and suffer from back pain, this posture may bring in results.

Agreeing with the benefits of adult tummy time, Dr. Saswata Chatterjee, Gastroenterologist, CMRI, Kolkata, shed light on its importance beyond just being a relaxing pose: “It helps in digestion because it puts a lot of pressure on our tummy, especially when a person breathes in air. People who have a bit of bloating or some amount of constipation can also get relief by assuming this posture.”

How to adult your way into tummy time

• Look for a soft surface so that you don’t get hurt.
• Flip on your belly side and place your chin on the surface.
• Start small. Aim for a short duration and gradually increase it. 5-10 minutes is a good start. Scroll later, please.
• A gentle head lift and doing back extensions can help in the long run.

It is important to understand that adult tummy time is no magic pill. See it more as a low-effort way to reset your overburdened shoulders. It is not the only solution to go with. It just complements the others.