Computers have become an integral part of our lives. Although they used to be quite rare in the past, most households have a computer nowadays. People use them for gaming, browsing the Internet, watching films, and working.
This complexity combined with the entertainment brought by the Internet can lead to people spending hours in front of a desktop.
Even though computers have eased our lives so much, they can also lead to health complications in the long term. It’s important to know these issues so you can do your best to prevent them.
That being said, here is how long-term computer use could affect your health.
1. Blood Clots Risk
Sitting in front of your computer for hours every day can be quite detrimental to your blood circulation. Because of your position, blood is unable to circulate properly, and blood cells might build up, resulting in blood clots.
The worst thing about blood clots is that they can put your life in danger, as in some cases they could go to a different body area. The risk is even greater if you have a tendency to cross your legs too on top of sitting in the same spot for hours in a row.
This is why it’s essential to take some breaks when using the computer to allow the blood to move around your extremities. Also, you shouldn’t cross your legs too much if you have to sit a lot.
2. Spine Damage
Many computer users tend to sit improperly. They move their head forward and don’t sit straight – something that can have long-term consequences. This poor posture can make you sit improperly even when you are not using the computer. It will also result in stress on your neck.
Moving your head forward will force your neck to handle an extra 10 pounds of weight, thus putting a lot of stress on it. Besides, you might also experience painful muscle strains and spasms as the upper back and neck muscles are dealing with so much stress.
As time goes by, you might deal with spine damage or limited mobility.
3. Bad Eyesight
If you used to spend a lot of time playing on your computer as a child, your mother may have warned you about how this will affect your vision and how you’ll end up needing glasses.
Back in the day, it all sounded like a way for her to convince you to drop the computer. However, there’s no lie in the fact that watching your screen for hours could negatively affect your eyesight.
Computers expose you to flickering images and very bright lights, which put a lot of strain on the eyes. On top of that, your eyes might dry out as you will not blink too much during computer use.
Over time, your eyesight will decrease if you do not take measures to limit computer use or at least adjust the brightness of the screen.
4. Sleeping Issues
Did you know that spending too much time on your computer can prevent you from having a good night’s sleep? Because of the computer screen’s artificial lighting, your brain will not release melatonin – the substance that helps you with your sleeping patterns.
So, you’ll have a hard time sleeping, which will not only keep you tired all the time but could also lead to other health issues.
5. Obesity
Sitting in front of your computer for too long is something that might encourage obesity because you are not moving around too much or engaging in physical activity. In children, excessive use of computers is one of the leading causes of obesity.
6. Injuries Related To Laptops
Nowadays, many people prefer laptops rather than actual computers, as they are much easier to use and carry around – especially for work or studies. But this can lead to a lot of issues and injuries, as it’s hard to adjust your position due to the way laptops are made.
Since the keyboard and screen are so close together, you will either put a strain on your neck and back by not placing the laptop high enough, or you will put a strain on your arms and shoulders when positioning the laptop at the right height.
Many people work in places where laptop use is required. For example, back in 2020, when the pandemic began and people had to work from home, Colorado spent $2.4 million on emergency laptops so employees can do remote work.Â
Maybe you work in a place where laptop use is necessary, and the employer doesn’t give you the means to position your laptop correctly. Or perhaps you aren’t allowed to take breaks and move around and this leads to injuries. In these cases, you can reach out to personal injury attorneys in Boulder.Â
So, are you using your computer for extended periods? Make sure to take breaks and move around so you don’t end up dealing with health issues later on.
