Shut Your Laptop: 4 Ways Your Computer Is Making You Sick

Sitting in front of laptop in the same position for hours at an end often results in a dull heaviness in the head, blurry vision and aching shoulders. Over the past decade, an alarming increase in the use of laptops has been noted along with a frightening escalation of the health problems stemming from prolonged use of laptops and sitting in front of computer screens.

Computers and laptops affect our health in a number of ways, the most common of which are eye sight problems. Here is why continuous use of laptops for long time durations is a potential health hazard for you.

1. Eyesight Problems

Laptops were designed for ease of use and easy portability but one of the major facts that was overlooked was that people tend to use laptops at a distance even closer than the desktop computer screen. Continual exposure to bright light exerts a severe strain on eyes.

Staring at the laptops screen for long intervals damages the eyes in a variety of ways, most common of which is eye exhaustion. It manifests as burning and dryness of eyes along with fatigue of eye muscles. Owing to the fact that the ciliary muscles of eye remain in a constantly contracted state to focus on the laptop screen placed quite close to the eyes, the muscles of eye become over exhausted.

Blurring of vision ensues. Dry, aching eyes are a common result of using laptops frequently. Recent studies have found a close correlation between myopia (nearsightedness) and extended use of laptops.

2. Increased Propensity For Infections

In a recent study done at Britain's Imperial University, researchers found that the electrical fields created by electronics, especially computers and laptops cause the particles in the vicinity to become charged.

These particles also include various microbes like bacteria and viruses along with air contaminants like smoke and dust. Charging of these particles enhances their stickiness and when they are breathed in during inspiration, they tend to stick to the lining of lungs and the respiratory tract, increasing the risk of infections.

3. Muscle Strain

Using laptops in a reclining position and staying in the same posture for too long causes excessive muscle stress. Back pain, shoulder pain, tingling feelings in the arms and fingers result from using the laptop without a break. Remaining in the same position for too long to use laptops makes the muscles tense and also make the muscles, tendons and ligaments more prone to injury.  

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4. Headache

Use of laptops puts excessive strain on the muscles at the back of the neck. Moreover, due to muscle stress at the base of the skull, headache can develop. Headache caused by laptops is of a dull, throbbing character and commonly occurs at the front part of the skull.   

The bottom line is, laptops should be used in a safe way in order to avoid the harmful health effects associated with them.

How To Use Laptops Safely

Laptops have been hailed superior to computers in terms of user-friendliness and convenience of use. They are not, however, free of the health dangers that accompany computers’ use and perhaps jeopardize the health of the users even more than desktop computers.

Observing basic safety tips while using laptops can help reduce the adverse health effects related with laptop usage. Here is how you can use laptops safely without compromising your health.

Correct Posture

Adopting the right posture is imperative for avoiding the musculoskeletal problems that accompany the use of laptop for long time intervals. The screen should be at least an arm’s length away from you. Avoid hunching your shoulders. Keep your neck straight.

The best way to tackle this problem is to keep the laptop on a flat surface like a table in front of you. The table should not be so low that it causes you to stoop nor should it be too high. Sit with your shoulders straight, preferably in a straight back chair that helps you support your back in an erect position. This way, arms, shoulders, neck and back problems can be prevented. Another important health benefit of resting the laptop on a flat surface is that it keeps the heat and radiation emitted by the laptops away from your body.

Turn Down The Brightness

Keeping the brightness level of your laptop screen low helps avoid the strain that prolonged laptop use puts on the eyes. Alternatively, you can tilt the screen in order to evade the glare. It prevents you from the eye problems like increased risk of nearsightedness, eye dryness and eye muscle exhaustion.

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It helps relieve your ciliary muscles that have been in a contracted state continuously in order to focus on the laptop screen placed close to your eyes. This is one of the best ways to exercise your eye muscles. Also, blink as frequently as possible to keep the surface of your eyes moist to avoid corneal dryness.

Give It A Break

Every half an hour or so, push way your laptop and get on your feet to exercise your muscles. Simple stretches or hopping from one foot to the other can help relax the muscles and make the circulation better. Stretch your arms to lessen the arm muscle tension. Circling your shoulders time to time can also help avoid shoulder muscle stress. Take a break from typing regularly so as to ease the fingers and wrists.

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Exercising at regular intervals also helps reduce the risk of diseases associated with prolonged immobility like deep venous thrombosis (DVT) that occur as a result of pooling of blood in legs when a person remain inactive for long durations.

Following elementary laptop safety guidelines can help lessen the probability of serious health disorders and live a healthy life.