A question for you Science peeps.

[Exeson]

So, I was thinking today after my mother complained that I was spending too much time on the pc and that it isn't good for me and all that claptrap.

Anyway, people have said that you need to take regular breaks whilst playing video games and that it is very bad for your health to be playing video games for hours on end and all that yada yada, but what about people who sit at computers all day during work? surely they should take 15 minute breaks every hour or half hour or whatever? I have never heard anyone say that.

So the question is what is the diffrence? Because I don't see it and I'm sick of adults spouting all this anti-computer/video game stuff.

[Dallas-Dakota]

No, no no. They have it quite right. You need to take a break from video games every few hours orso to check your forums.

And the anti-pc? THEY´REEEE EEEEVILLLLl! It´s a conspiracy!

[valadil]

There's no difference, they're both bad for you.

I work in front of a computer 8 hours a day. I have an application that locks my screen for 5 minutes every 45 minutes. During that time I either get up and go somewhere or stretch my wrists. I make sure to go up a flight of stairs to get to the bathroom instead of going to the one around the corner. And if I'm not too busy I go for walks on my lunch hour. I even swap chairs periodically to make sure that my back doesn't get too used to the shape of my chair.

To keep my wrists from getting too bad I have an ergonomic keyboard at home and at work. I also use my mouse lefty at work and righty at home, because that's leaves my wrists hurting more than anything. Oh and if you think you're immune to carpal tunnel (like I did at your age), my wrists were perfectly fine until some time senior year of college. Then they started tingling when I typed. I bought an ergonomic keyboard and the pain went away. Since then I've taken good care of my wrists because if they get too sore I'm out of work.

[Ryshan Ynrith]

I type for my job, up to 8 hours at a time. We are in fact required to take a 1-minute break every hour or so, and both eyestrain and repetitive stress injuries are problematic. Just take breaks every now and then, it's good for you.

[Telonius]

If it's preventing you from getting enough exercise or negatively affecting your social life, you're on the computer too much. In general, don't lean too close to the screen, get an ergonomic keyboard if you can, and stretch every once in awhile if you're on for more than an hour or so.

[fangthane]

As an IT manager I can tell you that if you're working (or gaming) at a PC and don't:
1) maintain your workstation for proper posture, AND
2) periodically stand up, move around, stretch and get circulation going,
you deserve the host of physical infirmities you're setting yourself up to receive.

Some stretches and exercises can be done in a chair, some can't; it's no less important for corporate cubicle-dwellers than for power-gamers however. The difference is that your mother cares about you more than your employer does. Even so, many employers permit or even mandate that their employees take regular breaks from sitting at their PC, specifically in order to alleviate RSI and posture-related issues.

Generally a few minutes per hour is more than sufficient, but those with poor circulation or other health issues may require more.

[RTGoodman]

eyestrain

I think that's probably one of the bigger problems about being at the computer for long stretches. I've already got bad eyes (near-sighted in one eye, far-sighted in the other, and general not-very-good vision overall), and sometimes if I'm at the computer for several hours at a time working on stuff my eyes get very tired and sore.

I think they make anti-glare lenses or something like that (if you already have glasses) that are supposed to make being at a computer a lot much easier on your eyes, but I don't think I have it on my current pair.

[happyturtle]

what about people who sit at computers all day during work? surely they should take 15 minute breaks every hour or half hour or whatever? I have never heard anyone say that.

Because when you are at work, you don't need someone to tell you to take breaks. Work is boring, so you think of taking breaks all on your own.

Also, when you reach, say, 30 or so, you'll no longer be able to sit in one position staring at a screen for hours on end. Enjoy being in the prime of life while it lasts! :smalltongue:

[Tzor]

Anyway, people have said that you need to take regular breaks whilst playing video games and that it is very bad for your health to be playing video games for hours on end and all that yada yada, but what about people who sit at computers all day during work? surely they should take 15 minute breaks every hour or half hour or whatever? I have never heard anyone say that.

Yes generally speaking this is a good thing, but note that playing a video game is different from general "work" on the computer because is is a single repeated task. People who do such repeated tasks should have definite breaks from those tasks. People who use the computer should have other breaks which simply involve doing something other than staring at the computer. I tend to do things like, take a walk to the coffee machine to get a cup of tea, take my eyes of the monitor and start checking my reference books, take a walk to the mens room because of that large cup of tea, and so on and so forth.

Mind you a lot of the eye strain has been reduced by the transition from TV style monitors to flat panel monitors, but it always helps to have a number of things to do at work to reduce both eyestrain and finger fatugue.

[Castaras]

or negatively affecting your social life

What if you never had a hope with your RL social life, and all your social life is on the 'net?

[valadil]

What if you never had a hope with your RL social life, and all your social life is on the 'net?

I've known a few people who never had a social life till college, but made real life friends and fit in just fine when they eventually decided to do so.

Speaking from experience, I used to play DDO. My rule was that the game couldn't preempt real life socializing. It never did. I never ditched a party in favor of a guild raid. But it did stop me from making plans with people. Why bother to find something to do on a thursday night if I can game instead? Once it got to the point where I wasn't planning to see anyone unless they invited me out, I gave up the game and it was worth it. Is it possible that you aren't bothering to meet people in real life because you have the internet to turn to instead?

At any rate, this sounds like a separate problem than whether or not you should take a break from your computer and/or video games. Nobody on IRC will mind if you go AFK for 10 minutes once an hour. Just tell them you have irritable bowel syndrome or a bad porn addiction and you can't be chatting 24/7. If the internet is your only social outlet, what will you do when you can't type any more? Do your wrists a favor and get up regularly.

[Tom_Violence]

I've known a few people who never had a social life till college, but made real life friends and fit in just fine when they eventually decided to do so.

Speaking from experience, I used to play DDO. My rule was that the game couldn't preempt real life socializing. It never did. I never ditched a party in favor of a guild raid. But it did stop me from making plans with people. Why bother to find something to do on a thursday night if I can game instead? Once it got to the point where I wasn't planning to see anyone unless they invited me out, I gave up the game and it was worth it. Is it possible that you aren't bothering to meet people in real life because you have the internet to turn to instead?

At any rate, this sounds like a separate problem than whether or not you should take a break from your computer and/or video games. Nobody on IRC will mind if you go AFK for 10 minutes once an hour. Just tell them you have irritable bowel syndrome or a bad porn addiction and you can't be chatting 24/7. If the internet is your only social outlet, what will you do when you can't type any more? Do your wrists a favor and get up regularly.

Seconded. Don't sell yourself short. The easiest way to get no social life at all is to convince yourself that you'll never have one.

[Charity]

There is the 20/20/20 rule
Every 20 mins look away from the screen at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. It allows your focus to readjust and prevents damage to your focal length and the subsequent headaches.

[Telonius]

What if you never had a hope with your RL social life, and all your social life is on the 'net?

Then it isn't negatively affecting your social life. :smallcool: Social networks and relationships online can be just as real (or just as fake) as relationships offline.

I generally don't draw as much of a distinction between physical and mental health (including interpersonal relations issues) as most people tend to do. Computers can affect both your body and how you interact with people, so I think that both physical and mental issues do need to be addressed if we're talking about how computers impact health.

[Ossian]

Never had problems mz entire life (i.e. no computer). Started working pretty seriouslz (excel and MS word mostlz, plus emailing) and DZZOTTT!!! Carpal tunnel. Mz left wrist is significantly stronger or more durable, at least, than the right (and dominant) one. All because of typing, but mostly because of using the mouse. Horrible stuff. Less computer, more sports, buddy, and stretch evrz now and then (every ten minutes).

Ossian

[Ranna]

So, I was thinking today after my mother complained that I was spending too much time on the pc and that it isn't good for me and all that claptrap.

Anyway, people have said that you need to take regular breaks whilst playing video games and that it is very bad for your health to be playing video games for hours on end and all that yada yada, but what about people who sit at computers all day during work? surely they should take 15 minute breaks every hour or half hour or whatever? I have never heard anyone say that.

So the question is what is the diffrence? Because I don't see it and I'm sick of adults spouting all this anti-computer/video game stuff.

Don't they all take those water cooler breaks as you often seen in American TV programs?

And yes Health and safety is all up about that load of claptrap!