Health when at laptop

[Anonymous]

I experience a warning when I've been too long at my laptop ... it's a dull, heavy ache at the back of my head ... I then have to lie flat on my bed where it goes away of its' own accord ... then ... I can go back to the laptop

I have a good workstation / chair / spectacles specially for when viewing the laptop screen

I'm wondering if anyone else has similar / other signs of pc over-use?

It's a given that I have bi-polar disorder (chemical imbalance in the brain) & I am on tablets for this ... so ... it could be the way my brain is wired = I don't know, I'm just curious 

[Cleoriff]

Hi Jane

Computer overuse can affect everybody in different ways. This is information for people who work with computers on a daily basis and how to counter the effects from a health and safety perspective

https://www.highspeedtraining.co.uk/hub/computer-health-and-safety/

[Anonymous]

Thank you @Cleoriff I have read the article & have taken most of the exercises 'to heart' & believe this will help

[EmilieT]

@Anonymous

I get headaches very easily (not necessarily at the back of my head more diffused across my forehead and temples) so I try to shake things up a tiny bit regularly - whether it's by getting up to get a drink or snack, or just stretching my neck while staying seated and glued to my laptop. I find it helps, but nothing helps more than actually going away from the laptop for a bit to do some chores or go for a walk, before of course coming back to the screen eventually

Very interesting read @Cleoriff, thank for sharing it!

[Cleoriff]

No problem @EmilieT All our admin and clerical staff had a few sessions on this at the NHS.

The only issue was, some bosses who wanted their secretaries to do something 'NOW' weren't very happy if they found staff away from their workstations.

We got over that by teaching the bosses the importance of regular breaks.

It helped that we implemented a system of regular eye checks for clerical staff.

[sheepdog]

Having been in front of many computer screens over the last 20 years, I rarely suffer from headaches. More so if a) I've not been sleeping right b) the positioning of chair/monitor and desk is completely wrong and most of the time, its physical leading to the stress and your body is compensating for the adjustment.

I've found myself noticing its the almost religious positioning we've got used to when put in front of a computer that we don't realise we can move position of ourselves or the equipment to be more comfortable. Worse in an office that does hot-desking* so it can't be adjusted because it broken from someone trying to adjust it!

However, one thing they haven't mentioned or indirectly mentioned, the actual screen glare. If you've got it too bright then that may be a factor in your headaches. Which at this point, I'll say that if you're facing a corner or darkened areas then move yourself to a brighter natually lit area where your eyes won't be so strained. 

Also, you might want to check what lighting you have in your room especially the colour temperature as I've found its a factor especially overhead flouresent strip lights which I particularly hate because for me, it emits an un-natural hue. More info at this random google search: https://www.batteriesplus.com/blog/lighting/seeing-things-in-a-different-light.

I'll just point out that you'll need to balance between your choice in room colour and the light output as my home office has 4k lightbulbs and an almost cream paint so too much towards the natural daylight bulb would be too bright considering I have a great big window with lots of light coming in!

* hot-desking is usually a way for a company to say stop bringing in your junk and leaving it there overnight because nobody wants to see your cat & kid photos and the mouldy coffee cup olympic rings tribute.

[Cleoriff]

No longer working but using laptop a lot at home I find I am better when working in natural daylight. My home is very light with cream walls and large windows front and back which let in loads of natural light.

Once the curtains are drawn and the lights go on at home, this is when I will start to get a headache. I can't work on a PC with dim lights at all. (Often accused of having as many lights in the house as Blackpool during Illumination week!!)

As I said though, apart from the general health and safety issues for everyone, the rest is pretty much down to the individual (who may, or may not, have predisposing conditions)

[Anonymous]

@EmilieT @sheepdog @Cleoriff much appreciate your posts

I can remember when with the old boxy pc's they had a sort of mesh screen hanging in front of them, can't remember why?

@sheepdog as for light glare from those horrible fluorescent strip lights = I had my spectacles I used att for close work tinted a pink colour to ease eye strain

It helps me that my laptop is in the little bedroom with pale walls & lots of natural daylight ... I only use the laptop in that room so am happy to leave it in it's room when I go for a break ... I don't think I could cuddle up in an easy chair with the laptop in my lap & be comfy