Working in front of a computer may seem like the most relaxing and less tiring activity in the world, but in reality it can cause many health problems that would not be suspected. The human body is not used to sitting still for long periods of time so it suffers.
Sitting causes back pain and negatively affects blood circulation, promoting cardiovascular disease.
The extensive use of keyboard and mouse can lead to stiffening of the muscles of the hands, arms and neck as well as inflammation and injury.
Staring at a bright screen for too long can cause dry eyes and headaches.
To make matters worse , computer work can be stressful, leading to depression and anxiety .
I'm not saying it's like going to the mine, but working on the computer is not exactly the healthiest type of activity there is and one should not underestimate its negative effects, knowing what hurts and how to fix it to stay healthy and fit .
READ ALSO: Protect your eyes in front of the PC
1) First of all, it is important to know that sitting all day is very bad for the body and can even be lethal .
Being in front of the computer, sitting at the school desk, watching the TV, reading a book and any other sedentary activity is equally harmful if continued for long periods.
While sitting still, the blood does not circulate as it should, the back undergoes constant stress and we also end up gaining weight because we burn few calories and eat nibbles.
To avoid health risks it is important to sit well and never for too many consecutive hours.
The important thing, to stay fit, is to take frequent breaks, both at work and at home, of at least 5 minutes every hour.
Walk and stretch your legs during breaks and, perhaps, consider a computer desk that leads us to stand up for at least part of the day.
In another article some programs to plan breaks, rest your eyes and mind are reported
Among these there is also Big Stretch Reminder which also serves to remind us to stand up and loosen the legs every hour.
Obviously it is important to do physical exercises before or after work or even during the space around it.
For example on the 7 Min website there is a training program to do at home for 7 minutes every day and it is one of the best sites for online fitness and gym exercises
2) The incorrect position causes pain, as well as repetitive movements .
Bad posture is not necessarily a consequence of sitting but a problem that depends on all daily activities.
The typical consequences associated with poor posture while working on the computer are back, shoulder and neck pain, often resulting in headaches.
In addition to frequent breaks, in general it is knowing how to have a healthy posture and how to sit in front of the computer so as not to tire the back and eyes .
3) Fixing the screen strains the eyes and tires them
Looking at a bright screen for hours can lead to eye fatigue and eye strain, headaches, blurred vision, burning, itching or watery eyes and temporary visual disturbances.
Fortunately, eye fatigue is rarely a permanent problem so symptoms can be easily prevented or treated.
The classic remedies are to use a good quality screen and keep away from the monitor.
An interesting theory for resting the eyes is the 20/20/20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at an object 20 feet (6 meters) away for 20 seconds.
Programs such as EVO and Eyes Relax are also excellent for planning breaks and resting the eyes .
The F.Lux program is also very useful to automatically lower the brightness of the screen when the room becomes darker.
READ ALSO: How to protect eyesight from computer and mobile screens
4) The loneliness of computer work and the fact that the brain is always busy can cause depression and depression .
Computers are very effective tools to work more in less time, to communicate with everyone, relatives and friends and also people who otherwise would never feel.
Conversely, however, the computer takes sleep, it can bring isolation, tension in the muscles, headache and in general signs of stress, depression or anxiety.
Remedies for these problems are not to go to the computer at night, to look for real and not only virtual social interactions, to eat with friends or colleagues, drink lots of water and still take frequent breaks.
This article, written taking inspiration from the English blog Makeuseof, wants to make everyone aware of the health problems caused by computer work that can be avoided with small changes to their habits, overcoming laziness and trying to take frequent breaks without being a workaholic at at all costs.
In the end it's all about priorities that for some people, those who work too much or spend too much time on Facebook or with online games, the time has come to change.
