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"Mouse potato may be a funny term, but the health problems related to computer use are not." |
Do you experience pain, numbness or headaches? Do you find yourself skipping meals or losing track of time? Have you forgotten the last time you saw daylight? Have you noticed that ever since that time-sucking box came into your life, you're not quite the athlete you used to be?
Okay, maybe you were never an athlete. Maybe you were always a formless lump who has moved from the couch to the computer. In fact, there's a new term for you. You are now known as a "mouse potato". You have your own set of physical problems that specifically come from improper or excessive computer use. Even though computer use is more proactive than spending the night watching the television, it's still a sedentary endeavor.
One of the reasons I got out of the cosmetology business was because I was worried about my health. My hands had started to go numb and when I would try to straighten up after a shampoo, the pain was excruciating. I won't even go into the damage my lungs suffered because of inhaling ammonia fumes every day for seven years. Perhaps every profession has its physical dangers, but I felt if I continued on in that job, I would end up in a wheel chair before I was 45. Well, that and I never really wanted to burn hair for the rest of my working life.
So, I traded in my scissors for a monitor and a modem. The unfortunate thing was I found that even though I had gotten off my feet and no longer had to keep my hands in certain positions for hours at a time, I still had the same symptoms. My back would still hurt and my hands would still go numb. I thought that I had done so much damage in my former profession that there was no hope for my recovery.
Then one day, I figured out the problems I had were due to the way I had my computer set up. I was sitting wrong and I had my keyboard and mouse in positions that were detrimental to my physical well being. Once I got a good chair and set my keyboard and mouse in positions that were more ergonomic, my back felt better and my hands stop getting tingly and numb.
Mouse potato may be a funny term, but the health problems related to computer use are not. Adult webmasters spend more time in front on their machines that any Internet addict I know. Working hard and long is good for business but it's not good for your health. What's the point of working so hard if when you finally become financially secure, you can't enjoy the spoils of your efforts? That evil box can steal your health and here's some things you should correct to keep it from ruining your life:
That kitchen chair or folding sitter simply will not do. You need to spend good money on a proper office chair. It should be padded and adjustable in the back and seat. The seat should have a rounded edge and the chair should have armrests that form to your natural shape or can be adjusted to do so. Your chair should not be too big or too small. Your chair should also be adjusted so that your feet rest flatly on the floor without having to over bend your knees or force your body forward.
Your monitor should be directly in front of you so as not to cause neck strain. The top of the screen should not be any higher than your eye line. If your monitor is too high or too low you will get a very stiff neck so you should adjust it accordingly. To prevent the screen from being either too close or too far away for proper viewing a distance of between 18 to 24 inches from your face is best. To help prevent eyestrain, periodically take breaks form the computer or at least turn your head and stare at some object at least twenty feet away from you.
The keyboard should be positioned so that your arms bend neither upwards nor downwards. The best position for most is where the arms are parallel to the floor and the hands are directly ahead of the user. The mouse should be close to the user's body, preferably directly next to the keyboard. You should not have to reach for it and the angle of your wrist should be straight ahead. Turning the wrist in any angle is very harmful and extended misuse can result in debilitating problems such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Lighting and Monitor Glare
Tapping away in a dark room in front of a brightly-lit monitor is sure to result in unnecessary eyestrain and headaches. Diffusive light that is preferably placed within your sight lines will help alleviate this. Of course, you don't want to place your light so that it directly faces your eyes, as this will make your monitor hard to see. Placing your computer monitor so that it faces open windows is a bad idea as is bright, overhead lighting.
Recent reports about airline passengers who have died or have been hospitalized because of the inactivity of long flight times should be a warning to computer users. It's very easy to sit down at the comp and look up at the clock and realize several hours have passed since you've peeled your butt off your chair.
Sitting in one position for too long can cause blood clots and promote poor circulation. You need to take breaks and move around. If you can't willingly make your self get up, set an alarm clock to go off or use an alarm program on your system to remind you to take breaks. You should take a break from your computer every 30 to 60 minutes. You need to take breaks from viewing, sitting and typing. Get up, walk around, do some stretches and get your blood pumping to your extremities.
Do not skip meals. Sure, a hard work schedule sounds like a great way to diet but in the long run, you will only be hurting your health. Coffee, cigarettes and chips are not a proper diet. Eat some fruits and vegetables and drink plenty of water. Sedentary work is hard enough on your physiology; you do not need to contribute to the problem with and improper diet.
Besides, your family misses you and having a meal with them is a wonderful way to show them you truly do love them ore than the computer.
Working hard is an admirable trait and will help you to be successful, but overwork is just as bad for you as not working at all. You are involved in this field, hopefully to make a better life for yourself. Make sure that after all your toiling, you have a life to live.
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