Ask Ada: How Do I Look After Myself While Using Digital Devices?

Ada Hamilton -

There's loads of attention given to how computers and social media impact our mental health, but what about our physical health? We've lived with computers for over 40 years now, so the research and literature on overuse of these devices is quite solid and readily available. With the tips in this blog post you'll reduce your risk of injury and be more comfortable when using your computing device of choice.

Posture & Ergonomics

Back in my day, computers came with little booklets with ergonomics information because computers were new and we didn’t know how to live with them. Going by Safe Work Australia's handy infographic on how to set up your "workstation" to avoid injury, not much has changed since those early 90s pamphlets! Some key points include:

  • Eye level slightly below top of screen.
  • Head in neutral position, chin parallel to ground.
  • Forearms angled slightly down to keyboard, wrists in neutral position.
  • Mouse, keyboard and other equipment within easy reach, with ergonomically designed keyboards and mice that keep your hands in more natural positions.
  • Screen about one arm length away and directly in front of you.
  • Use a chair with no armrests to ensure they do not stop the chair moving in close to the desk
  • Thighs angled slightly down.
  • A backrest that supports the lower back.
  • Rest feet flat on floor or use a footrest.

These days we also need to worry about how smartphone use impacts our bodies. Smartphones are particularly unergonomic as they're designed for short bursts of use, but many of us use them far more often than we should. Mount Sinai's Selikoff Centers for Occupational Health has a useful document with hand exercises that can help decrease fatigue and keep your hands flexible and information on how to avoid straining your body:

  • Change your hand grip frequently.
  • Alternate holding your phone between left and right hands.
  • If making long phone calls, use earbuds or headphones.
  • Look for a phone case with texture or traction that allows for ease of grip.

Take Breaks

We've all been in the zone, crunching away on our websites or editing photos, but doing that for hours on end is a recipe for a sore and tired body. Taking breaks prevents injury by giving your body a rest from that repetitive motion. It can also help you re-focus on your task by letting your mind rest too.

Recommendations on how long and how often to take a break for varies, but the Victorian Trades Hall Council's Occupational Health and Safety Unit recommends that "workers should have the opportunity to stand up, move around and get off their backsides as frequently as they can", suggesting "five minutes of a more vigorous activity, such as walking for every 40 to 50 minutes of sitting".

That might be difficult for neurodivergent folks as they tend to over-concentrate on a task when they start, particularly if it takes them a while to get started, but there are apps you can install on your computer like Stretchly or BreakTimer that can be configured to remind you at regular intervals. Digital Wellbeing settings on Android phones and Screen Time or Accessibility features on iOS can assist in taking breaks from your smartphone.

Eye Health

As a certified bespectacled nerd, my optometrist keeps telling me about the 20-20-20 rule: every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away (6 meters) for 20 seconds. Like much of the advice in this post, it's annoying to do and remember, but it works. Another piece of advice given by optometrists is to blink as often as possible. It sounds stupid to have to remember to blink, but our eyes blink less when staring at a screen so they get dry and sore.

The brightness of your display can impact eye health too. The LEDs shining back at you behind that sheet of glass are unnaturally bright, so by turning the brightness down your eyes won't be blasted by intense white light. Professional monitor manufacturer Eizo recommends setting screen brightness to the same level as a sheet of white copy paper. Some monitors even have a feature to automatically adjust the brightness based on the ambient light, so if you're shopping for a new monitor, check if it has this feature. The majority of smartphones have automatic brightness control already enabled.

Sleep Hygiene 

The Australian Sleep Health Foundation claims that "technology use before bed is linked to difficulties falling asleep and reports of increased alertness", with bright screens fooling our bodies into thinking it's still daytime and preventing the release of melatonin to prepare us for sleep. The activities we do on our devices before bed also stimulate our brains and make us less ready for sleep. They recommend turning off all screens 1-2 hours before bed and if possible, banish devices like laptops, tablets and smartphones from your bedroom.

Checking your phone first thing in the morning can have a negative impact on your health too, with the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners saying that "checking work emails in the evening or first thing upon waking can lead to the kind of stress that could potentially interfere with natural cortisol rhythms". 

Act Now & Avoid Pain Later 

Aches, pains, long term musculoskeletal issues, and trouble getting to sleep are all symptoms of using your tech gadgets too much. We've known for decades that improper and prolonged use of computers, smartphones, and tablets will lead to repetitive strain injuries but many of us don't follow that advice. The good news is that with a few tweaks to our routines, like not slouching, taking regular breaks and resisting the urge to use your smartphone in bed, can save your body from developing a long term injury.

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