Tips To Stay Healthy For People Using Computers For Long Periods of Time

Posture

Proper posture is essential to healthy computer use. Poor posture has been shown to increase fatigue levels and place unneeded strain on the back. Invest in a chair that adjusts to your height and provides adequate lumbar support. Place your feet on the floor or on a footrest which will increase comfort by relieving stress on the legs, back and neck. If your job requires a lot of phone use, avoid cradling the phone between your ear and shoulder. Try using a speaker phone or headset to better prevent neck and shoulder strain.

Break it Up

Ergonomists have a saying, "The best posture is the next posture." Be sure to take breaks during the day to keep moving. Sitting or typing for a long period is not only uncomfortable, but increases the risk of serious health problems down the road. Use a sit-stand work surface to change your position while keying. Or just standing up, stretching or taking a walk will provide the rest that your hands and body need. You'll feel more comfortable and energized throughout a long day when you do.

PC Arrangement

Make sure your computer is arranged correctly on the desk. Counter to common perception, computer monitors should be situated just below eye-level. This will help reduce backward head and neck tilt and straining associated with an incorrectly positioned monitor. Be careful not to place the monitor too low, which will also place pressure on the neck muscles. If you're working on a kitchen table or low desk, you may need to place your monitor on a monitor stand to raise it to the proper height. In addition to raising your monitor to the proper height.

Also vital is positioning the monitor at the proper viewing distance. The standard rule of thumb is that the monitor should be at least 20 inches (approximately arm's length) from you. Make sure you can clearly see the characters on your monitor. You may need to adjust your monitor brightness and contrast settings to display characters clearly.

Keep it in Neutral

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 64 percent of all workplace illnesses are disorders associated with repeated trauma, such as carpal tunnel syndrome. Treatment and surgery for carpal tunnel is painful, expensive and not always successful, so being aware of the risk is crucial. The key to healthy wrists is keeping them in a neutral position while typing or using a mouse. To see if your wrists are in neutral, check and make sure that your forearms, wrists and hands are in a straight line while you're typing. If not, use a wrist rest to support your wrists and help keep them straight.

A group conducted a study to determine the effects of wrist rest use and found that it helps reduce the stress on the wrists, hands and the carpal tunnel by keeping them closer to neutral. When choosing a wrist rest, look for one that is neither to hard, which will actually place unneeded pressure on the wrist, or too soft, which will inhibit the wrist's movement. Try products with gel-filled wrist rest, which incorporates a specially developed gel to most accurately conform to the user's wrists and palms.

Be a Visionary

Working on a computer all day can quickly take a toll on your eyes. Check the lighting in your home or office to reduce glare on your computer screen and prevent vision problems. Use window coverings to diminish outside light and try turning off some of the overhead lights. Try using an anti-glare computer filter, like the Circular Polarizing Filter, which allows for a clear, sharp image that is easy to read and kind to the eyes.

Position reference documents at the same height and distance as your computer monitor by using a document holder that securely attaches to the side of the monitor. This will eliminate the need for your eyes to refocus each time you glance between the monitor and the reference paper, reducing eye -- and neck -- strain.

Avoid Poor lighting

Make sure you can read texts away from you and still be able to see clearly. You do not want to have to have your “nose in the computer” to be able to read it. This will reduce eye strain and fatigue which can cause headaches.

Extended periods of close reading

About every 30 minutes look at distant objects for a few minutes. It sounds dumb, but it will work and it’s an excuse to take a break from reading.

Wearing contacts for long periods of time

When you focus on near objects like a book or a computer screen you blink less and your eyes dry out. If you have contacts I am sure you know how annoying it is when your contact lenses stick to your eyes. When the contact sticks to your eye it can cause contact-lens-induced allergies. If you know you will be reading for a long time you should opt to wear your glasses.

 

Avoid eating

 

A study conducted in U.K. showed that people of ages 25 – 40 that took food to munch while using the computer for at least 4 hours a day, gained 10lbs – 15lbs in a span of 1 year.