Southern Medical Group, LLC

08/24/2026

BRB! We’re starting our 2 week screen time cleanse today and can’t wait to be SO focused! We’re encouraging everyone to join us. See you all in 2 weeks!

We’re testing your attention span with this post! It’s a long one, but it could turn back the hands of attention span time 10 years!

📱 Are Reels & Shorts Rewiring Our Attention?

If it feels like it’s getting harder—for adults and kids—to sit through a movie, read a book, finish homework, or tolerate a few minutes of boredom, research suggests our digital habits may be playing a role.

🧠 We’re switching attention faster than ever.
Research tracking digital behavior found that people now spend an average of only about 47 seconds on one screen before switching. In the early 2000s, it was closer to 2½ minutes.

📲 Short-form video use is associated with poorer attention.
A large 2025 analysis involving nearly 100,000 participants found greater use of TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and similar content was associated with poorer attention and inhibitory control—our ability to resist distractions and impulses.

👧 What about kids?
Research involving children and adolescents has linked heavier digital media exposure with difficulties in attention, working memory, impulse control, and other executive functions. However, researchers cannot yet say that Reels or Shorts cause attention problems. Children who already struggle with attention may also be more drawn to this type of content.

Interestingly, simply watching fast-paced video doesn’t appear to explain the whole effect.

Researchers are increasingly interested in the combination of:

Short videos → endless scrolling → constant novelty → instant reward → swipe → repeat.

Instead of practicing sustained attention when something becomes boring, we’re given the opportunity to immediately replace it with something more stimulating.

📵 But here’s the really encouraging part.

In a 2025 randomized controlled trial, adults who blocked internet access on their smartphones for just TWO WEEKS showed significant improvement in sustained attention on an objective cognitive test.

The size of the improvement was roughly equivalent to reversing about 10 YEARS of age-related decline in sustained attention on that test. 🤯

Importantly, researchers weren’t simply measuring whether people could look at a screen longer. Participants performed better on a separate test of sustained attention, suggesting an improvement in attentional ability beyond the phone itself.

They also spent more time socializing face-to-face, exercising, being outdoors, and sleeping.

⚠️ A little perspective:
This does not mean two weeks without smartphone internet literally makes your brain 10 years younger. Researchers compared the size of the attention improvement with the amount of age-related decline typically seen on that particular attention measure.

The takeaway:
Research does NOT show that smartphones have permanently destroyed our attention spans—or that humans now have an “8-second attention span.”

But growing evidence suggests that constantly switching among highly stimulating, rapidly changing content may make sustained attention more difficult.

The good news? Attention appears to be trainable and responsive to our environment.

Maybe the answer isn’t eliminating screens altogether.

It may be giving our brains—and our kids’ brains—more opportunities to practice something increasingly rare:

Being bored. Staying focused. And resisting the swipe. 🧠📵

08/22/2026

We’re testing your attention span with this post! It’s a long one, but it could turn back the hands of attention span time 10 years!

📱 Are Reels & Shorts Rewiring Our Attention?

If it feels like it’s getting harder—for adults and kids—to sit through a movie, read a book, finish homework, or tolerate a few minutes of boredom, research suggests our digital habits may be playing a role.

🧠 We’re switching attention faster than ever.
Research tracking digital behavior found that people now spend an average of only about 47 seconds on one screen before switching. In the early 2000s, it was closer to 2½ minutes.

📲 Short-form video use is associated with poorer attention.
A large 2025 analysis involving nearly 100,000 participants found greater use of TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts, and similar content was associated with poorer attention and inhibitory control—our ability to resist distractions and impulses.

👧 What about kids?
Research involving children and adolescents has linked heavier digital media exposure with difficulties in attention, working memory, impulse control, and other executive functions. However, researchers cannot yet say that Reels or Shorts cause attention problems. Children who already struggle with attention may also be more drawn to this type of content.

Interestingly, simply watching fast-paced video doesn’t appear to explain the whole effect.

Researchers are increasingly interested in the combination of:

Short videos → endless scrolling → constant novelty → instant reward → swipe → repeat.

Instead of practicing sustained attention when something becomes boring, we’re given the opportunity to immediately replace it with something more stimulating.

📵 But here’s the really encouraging part.

In a 2025 randomized controlled trial, adults who blocked internet access on their smartphones for just TWO WEEKS showed significant improvement in sustained attention on an objective cognitive test.

The size of the improvement was roughly equivalent to reversing about 10 YEARS of age-related decline in sustained attention on that test. 🤯

Importantly, researchers weren’t simply measuring whether people could look at a screen longer. Participants performed better on a separate test of sustained attention, suggesting an improvement in attentional ability beyond the phone itself.

They also spent more time socializing face-to-face, exercising, being outdoors, and sleeping.

⚠️ A little perspective:
This does not mean two weeks without smartphone internet literally makes your brain 10 years younger. Researchers compared the size of the attention improvement with the amount of age-related decline typically seen on that particular attention measure.

The takeaway:
Research does NOT show that smartphones have permanently destroyed our attention spans—or that humans now have an “8-second attention span.”

But growing evidence suggests that constantly switching among highly stimulating, rapidly changing content may make sustained attention more difficult.

The good news? Attention appears to be trainable and responsive to our environment.

Maybe the answer isn’t eliminating screens altogether.

It may be giving our brains—and our kids’ brains—more opportunities to practice something increasingly rare:

Being bored. Staying focused. And resisting the swipe. 🧠📵

08/14/2026

She told me numerous times not to make a post about her birthday, but here I am doing it anyway because she deserves to be celebrated!

🥳 Happy Birthday to Suzannah! 🥳

Thank you for all you do for us and our patients, for keeping us all in line, and for always taking such great care of everyone. We hope you have a great day! 💙

08/12/2026

08/07/2026

Been looking for an excuse to schedule a massage? 💆

Need that extra push to start eating healthier? 🥗 (Stop putting it off until Monday… because somehow that Monday never comes. 😉)

Keep rescheduling get-togethers with the people you love? ❤️

Well, now’s the perfect time to change that because August is National Wellness Month!

Take a little time to focus on your physical and mental well-being, one step at a time. Whether it’s getting more sleep, moving your body, eating healthier, managing stress, or simply making time for yourself, every small step counts.

On average, it takes about 66 days for a new habit to become automatic, so there’s no better time to start building healthier habits than today.

And while you’re taking care of yourself, don’t forget to schedule those annual checkups! 🩺

08/06/2026

ATTENTION MEDICARE RECIPIENTS

Could You Qualify for the Medicare Part D GLP-1 Bridge Program? 🤔

If you have Medicare and have been told a GLP-1 medication isn't covered right away, you may qualify for a temporary Bridge Program while your prescription coverage is being worked out.

You may qualify if:
✅ You have Medicare prescription drug coverage (Part D or a Medicare Advantage plan with drug coverage)
✅ Your BMI is 30 or higherOR
✅ Your BMI is 27 or higher with a weight-related medical condition such as:
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Mild obstructive sleep apnea
• Heart disease
• Other qualifying conditions
✅ Your medication has been prescribed for chronic weight management
✅ You're experiencing a coverage delay or gap

You may NOT qualify if:
❌ You do not have Medicare prescription drug coverage
❌ You have Type 2 diabetes
❌ You have moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea
❌ You have MASH (metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis)
❌ Your medication is being prescribed for a condition other than chronic weight management

Not sure if you have Medicare Part D?
Most Medicare Advantage plans include prescription drug coverage—but not all do.
✔️ Call the number on the back of your insurance card.
✔️ Ask your pharmacist.
✔️ Call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227).

📞 Think you might qualify? Contact Southern Medical Group today! Our team can review your insurance and medical history to determine whether the Medicare Part D Bridge Program may be an option for you.

*Eligibility is determined by program requirements and may change. Not all patients will qualify

08/04/2026

If your shower drain is starting to look like it needs its own hair stylist… let’s talk.

August is National Hair Loss Awareness Month, and hair loss doesn’t discriminate.

Men: The first time you notice your barber spending less time on top than on the sides… or you suddenly become an expert on hats.

Women: When your ponytail keeps getting smaller and your shower drain seems to be growing a second head of hair.

The truth is, you’re not alone.

Did you know?
• Around 80 million Americans are affected by hereditary hair loss—about 50 million men and 30 million women.
• Losing 50–100 hairs a day is completely normal, but persistent thinning, widening of your part, receding hairlines, or bald patches deserve attention.

Hair loss isn’t just part of getting older. It can be caused by:
Genetics
Thyroid disorders
Iron or vitamin deficiencies
Hormonal changes
Certain medications
Stress or illness
Autoimmune conditions

Here’s the good news: Many causes of hair loss are treatable, especially when caught early.

So before you blame your shampoo, order another “miracle” product from the internet, or decide the answer is just to wear more hats, let us help uncover the real cause.

At Southern Medical Group, we can evaluate your symptoms, order the appropriate testing, and discuss newer, more affordable treatment options that may help slow hair loss—and in many cases, promote regrowth.

Call us today to schedule an appointment. Your future selfies (and your shower drain) will thank you.

912-739-3354
www.southernmedicalgroup.org

07/28/2026

🎒🦠 Back to School = Back to Germs!

As students head back to the classroom, it's common to see an increase in respiratory illnesses. Sometimes even before school starts!! Ask us how we know 🥴. Children are in close contact with one another throughout the day, making it easy for viruses (and even strep throat) to spread before making their way through entire households.

What symptoms should you watch for?

🤧 The Common Cold (Rhinovirus)
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Sneezing
• Mild sore throat
• Cough
• Little or no fever

😷 COVID-19
• Sore throat
• Congestion or runny nose
• Cough
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Fever (not always)
• Occasionally nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea

🤒 Influenza (Flu)
• Sudden onset of high fever
• Chills
• Severe body aches
• Fatigue
• Headache
• Dry cough

👅 Strep Throat
• Severe sore throat
• Pain with swallowing
• Fever
• Swollen glands
• Usually NO cough or runny nose

🤧 RSV
• Runny nose
• Persistent cough
• Wheezing (especially in young children)
• Fever
• Difficulty feeding in infants

What should you do if you're sick?

✅ Stay home if you have a fever or you're feeling too ill to participate in normal activities.
✅ Get plenty of fluids and rest.
✅ Practice good hand hygiene and cover coughs and sneezes.
✅ Consider testing for COVID if symptoms are consistent or you've had a recent exposure.
✅ If you're concerned about strep throat, influenza, COVID, RSV, or symptoms that aren't improving, schedule an evaluation.

🚨 Seek medical attention sooner if you have difficulty breathing, persistent high fever, signs of dehydration, confusion, severe sore throat with difficulty swallowing, or symptoms that are worsening instead of improving.

Most back-to-school illnesses are mild and resolve with time, but knowing what to watch for—and staying home when you're sick—helps protect your classmates, coworkers, family members, and our community.

If you aren't sure whether your symptoms need medical attention, give our office a call. We're happy to help you decide whether you should be seen.

07/22/2026

With summertime comes more outdoor activities—which unfortunately means more run-ins with annoying bugs. One of those being the tick. Be sure to stay cautious and vigilant when spending time outdoors, and check yourself, your children, and your pets afterward. The last thing you want is to find one of those creepy crawlers hiding on you weeks later!

And while we’re on the subject… if anyone has found a solution for getting rid of all these gnats, please let us know. We will nominate you for a Nobel Peace Prize. 🏆