Tech Neck Cure

New Dallas yoga classes aim to cure condition of the tech obsessed

"Tech neck": We all get it.

Photo courtesy of Dallas Yoga Center

Be honest: Are you reading this on your phone? Even if you're on a tablet or laptop, you're still susceptible to the emerging condition known as "tech neck." It's become such a widespread health issue that doctors and chiropractors are cautioning people to take frequent breaks in order to relieve tension in their necks and shoulders.

Dallas Yoga Center is taking that one step further, being the first in the city to introduce yoga classes and workshops designed expressly to combat the negative effects of sitting and staring at gadgets all day.

"Sitting is the new smoking," states Dallas Yoga Center owner David Sunshine. "Too much time driving, texting, checking social media, and working at computers can cause a strained neck, sore shoulders and back, and an inflexible spine."

DYC instructor Jyl Kutsche has come to our rescue, creating a "Yoga for Neck and Shoulders" class as well as a therapeutic yoga workshop. Neither requires advanced knowledge — or any knowledge at all, really — of yoga, and students should expect to leave feeling looser and more balanced in their bodies.

The class is offered every Tuesday from noon to 1 pm at DYC's facility at 4525 Lemmon Ave. The workshops are less frequent, with the next one scheduled for April 17, 2-4 pm. The workshop cost is $35 if you pay before April 7, with the price rising $10 after. The class is included in DYC's new member pricing, which is two weeks of unlimited class access for $29, and then $39 for the first month. It's $89 a month after that.

And if it's not already obvious, smart phones are not allowed in the classroom.

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E-Cigarette News

Dallas City Council places restrictions on vaping in public

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Man vaping

Vaping will now be banned exactly like smoking, thanks to a new ordinance from the Dallas City Council.

At their December 11 meeting, the council passed an ordinance to ban vaping in all the same areas where smoking is not allowed. It'll go into effect on December 11, 2025 — giving everyone a year to get into compliance.

Proposed by City of Dallas Environmental Commission (EVC) and the Office of Environmental Quality and Sustainability (OEQS), the ordinance amends the definition of “smoking” in the Dallas City Code to include the use of vaping devices.

The ordinance does not ban vaping — it only bans where you can vape: no vaping in all indoor and enclosed spaces; within 15 feet of building entrances; and on park property. The ordinance also bans marijuana smoking in those same places.

In addition, the amendment requires restaurants, hotels, fitness centers and other businesses to update their signage to clearly state that both smoking and electronic smoking devices are prohibited.

The ordinance already earned widespread support from health organizations such as the Dallas County Health and Human Services, the American Lung Association, and the American Heart Association. These organizations, along with the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Surgeon General, have all raised concerns about the health risks of direct and second-hand exposure to vaping aerosols, particularly for vulnerable populations such as children and older adults.

Dallas is not the first city to impose such a ban: San Antonio enacted a similar ban in October. Theirs goes into effect on January 1, 2025.

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