Most people are now using our computers heavily for work and entertainment, especially with the recent inventions of Internet TV softwares, most of us will be spending a huge number of time in front of our computers watching our favourite shows, movies, and other interactive media entertainment. Therefore the important issue that should be addressed is how this kind of lifestyle will affect our health and what are some of the health measures we can adopt to safeguard ourselves.
The major issue is whether the radiation emitted from the laptop would be considerably detrimental to our health. As a matter of fact, it is already well settled that television and computer screens do not emit radiations of any dangerous levels. There is also nothing to indicate evidentially that radiation from televisions or computers has any adversel effects on our health. In fact it has been said that even a flourescent bulb emits more radiation than our computers. The majority of people would put our mind at ease, at least, in so far as radiation is concerned.
Even so, there are other adverse effects of heavy computer usage. Have you heard of Repetitive Strain Injuries (“RSI”)? Essentially these would be the resultant injuries suffered by the users and usually take the form of eyes strain, neck cum lower back pain and headaches. Some symptoms of RSI include: numbness, tension, discomfort, stiffness, burning, soreness, and loss of coordination and strength. Another common health problem affiliated with heavy computer usage is Eye Strain. No matter wondrous your Internet TV software is that produces crystal clear high definition images, the image on the screen would never surpassed the sharpness of a printed image. As a result, your eyes have to strain itselves much harder so as to focus on the image which is continually changing. Coupled with the glare emanating from the computer screen, eyestrain becomes inevitable. Further due to the lower rate of eye blink when watching a computer screen (five times per minute as opposed to the normal rate of 12 times per minute ), our eyes tend to dry out (lower lubrication) and become strained.
Therefore, before you begin uploading all those Internet TV softwares and watching all those phenomenal satellite TV channels on your PC, great care must be taken to safeguard your health which is more valuable than wealth or enjoyment. Below are some concise measure you can take :-
1. Take frequent breaks (every 20 minutes) and reduce the time (20 minutes if you can) spent watching Internet TV or any other activites facing your computer screen. Glance from the screen and fix your eyes on a remote object preferably green in color.
2. Set up your environment with proper lighting coming from behing you. Consequently glare from the computer screen is reduced thereby minimising eyestrain. You can further enhance this by installing a anti glare screen. Also ensure that your screen is not too bright or too dark.
3. Blink more often (12 times per minute ) so that you ensure your eyes remain naturally lubricated or use eye drops to enhance your eye lubrication.
4. According to FDA guidelines, please takce care that you are seated at least two to three feet away from the screen to minimise exposure. Use proper body posture, correct table and chair height and elbow distance from the computer. Ensure that the top of the computer dscreen is just below your eye level. If necessary, use some ergonomic gadgets, funitures, palm rests, back support and integrated keyboard tray to help insure you in maintaining the correct posture.
5. Invest in a radiation filter plate. This will substantially minimise the harmful effects of radiation considerably.
6. Place several potted cactus near your computer to absorb harmful computer radiation.
7. Consume plenty of green tea to minimise the harmful effects of radiation from your body.
8. Maintain a healthy diet rich in Vitamin A and C which can help to reduce computer radiation. Some types of these food include: red fruits and vegetables like apples, tomatoes, carrots, and cherries.
Steven Rogers is a computer fanatic and software expert. He is also a consumer watchdog who likes to assist consumers in making the right software purchasing decisions. He has done many reviews of various types of computer softwares in the market. Please feel free to surf some of his sites at www.tvworldchannel.com.