Tips for Staying Healthy at Your Computer

Many of us either work long hours on the computer or just spend long hours at a computer for entertainment. These are just a few tips to help keep you healthy.

1. Take frequent breaks. If you have problems with your back or neck, make it every twenty minutes, otherwise at least once per hour. Get up and walk around, even if it is only to the water cooler, to the kitchen or to look out the window.
2. Remember to blink. You blink less than usual in front of a screen. Bet you are all doing a couple of blinks right now. LOL
3. Use a wrist rest. If you cannot afford to buy one, use a rolled up towel set in front of your keyboard.
4. Make sure you and your desk are at the right angles. Your arms should be at right angles to the keyboard and the monitor at eye level. If your feet are not flat on the floor, get a foot rest so you are not stretching leg and thigh muscles.
5. Don't slough! Sit upright. If you don't have a proper chair with proper lumbar support, then use a rolled up towel in your lower back to keep your spine in the right shape.
6. Do some stretch exercises. Get up and swing your arms around, dance or just stretch. Link your arms above your head and stretch upward. Put your left arm behind your head so your elbow is uppermost and your forearm hanging down your back - then use your right hand to gently press down on the left elbow. Repeat with your other arm. This is a great exercise for relaxing the big muscles around your neck and shoulders.
7. Rotate your wrists and ankles to keep them supple.
8. Do some chin tucks for your neck. Sitting upright, just tuck your chin in, you are not looking down though, just tucking your chin in. This will release the muscles in your neck. You need to do this once every hour if you are having trouble with your neck, several times otherwise.
9. Make sure your room is well ventilated. Stale air is also harder to heat so opening a window for a while has extra benefits.
10. Keep yourself well hydrated with plain water, not coffee!
11. Keep some green plants close as natural air filters.
12. Keep a cluster of clear quartz to disperse monitor emissions.
13. Have good lighting.
14. Use a glare shield on your computer monitor.