Thursday, October 25, 2007

Ok so...IT or ADD...it's all the same...

Most of us may not consider ourselves "geeks" (Taylor) yet we spend a lot our time in front of a computer. In reality, you don't have to live a geek lifestyle to show early signs of health problems that affect those in dork fields (said with love) such as programmers, web designers, or other IT workers. Today, most office workers sit in front of a computer for more than eight hours, then go home to sit in front of a computer for another eight. You can read the entire article here, but I'll give you a quick rundown of the problems and remedies (some offered by me) below:

Poor Sleeping Habits

Problem: Insomnia and altered sleep patterns are common problems that could worsen when people wake up in the middle of the night and turn their laptop or TV on on a regular basis. As the problems occurs more frequently, patients become worried, which in turn causes them to sleep less.

Remedy: You've probably heard doctors say "beds are for sleep and sex only" before, and guess what? They're absolutely right. Leave the electronics outside the bedroom, and if you have trouble sleeping at night try reading a book or listening to music until you fall asleep. See also: Sleeping Alone? Your Gadgets May Be at Fault

Headaches

Problem: Headaches could be caused by a number of things, but the doctor says "if they occur the same time every day or if they do not appear on non-work days, these are the clues that point me to a computer cause"

Remedy: Ever heard of sunlight? You may need more.

Back Pain

Problem: Back pain could be caused by poor posture, a non-ergonomic chair, and poorly positioned monitors.

Remedy: Stretch!!!

Poor Attention Span (Tank)

Problem: Those with poor attention span may not always have ADD problems. Here's what the doctor says about this problem, "I believe this relative perception of poor attention span is actually caused by two factors. The first is genetic. The brains of some people are just programmed to multi-task. These people likely excel in a computer-rich environment for this reason. I believe the second factor is a simple training issue."

Remedy: Limit your after hours (between 8:00pm and morning) computer work to ONE HOUR!

Any veteran techies out there that want to share their own experience or advice regarding this subject, sound off in the comments below.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've spent the last 21+ years at the same company sitting behind a computer. Whether working in the Call Center or now in IT, I can say that everything referenced in the article is completely true.

Just ask John Goodman. She has a medical accomodation authorizing her to 'stretch' once an hour.

Picture that!

Anonymous said...

hands in the air...mouth wide open...boobs and belly hanging out from under her shirt...

...i just threw up in my mouth a little...thanks lola...