Better Gaming Better Life With Ergonomics
As the world has evolved, gaming and tech have advanced by leaps and bounds. New VR headsets and advanced controllers can make you feel like you’re really in the game, and smart home technology lets you control almost everything from your phone. However, although the world is changing, one thing stays the same: if you’re not sitting or playing as ergonomically as possible, you’ll end up hurting yourself over time.
You need to set up your game station so you can feel good and perform better, and these tips will help.
Tech Is Improving
In our current year, life is getting pretty good for video game enthusiasts, remote workers, and anyone else who spends a lot of their day sitting in place at home. Smart tech has changed the world, and gamers can use these devices in many remarkable ways.
Whether it’s changing the temperature during the course of a day with a smart thermostat or controlling the lighting with smart light bulbs to suit the game you’re playing, smart tech is making gaming more enjoyable and life much easier. There are even smart plugs that make plugged-in devices more efficient, which is a game changer when you likely have a handful of devices for your game setup alone.
While having the air conditioning set at the right temperature is great, if your back and neck are in constant pain because of how you’re sitting, then you’re doing yourself a disservice. In addition to staying healthy, the proper economic setup can also boost performance. When you’re slouching for long periods, your brain has to work harder to perform cognitive tasks than when you’re sitting up straight. Plus, sitting in a rigid chair that doesn’t allow you to change position easily can reduce blood circulation and cause swelling, and if you’re hurt, you can’t play games.
An ergonomic chair is your first defense against an unhealthy gaming lifestyle. A good chair will have proper back and neck support. The seat should be able to adjust to fit your body. The ideal height will have your forearms sitting evenly on your desk, and your feet should be flat on the floor. Some high-quality gaming chairs, like this model from the Senator Group, have everything you need and more.
Setting Up Your Equipment
The next step is to set up your gaming area so that you’re sitting properly and viewing your screens without putting strain on your head, neck, and eyes. If you do your gaming on a computer setup, you must have everything just right. Your computer monitor must be at the right height, so you don’t need to crane or bend your neck to see the screen.
As a general rule, set up your monitor so that when you’re sitting up straight and looking forward, your eyes are looking towards the upper 1/4th of the monitor. Then, when you need to see what’s on the lower end of the monitor, you can just move your eyes and not your neck. Your monitor shouldn’t be too close or too far, or you can strain your eyes. Ideally, if you stretch your arm and hand straight out, you should just be able to touch the sides of the monitor. You need to see the characters on the screen but not be so close that your vision becomes blurred or you must turn your head to see everything.
To have your monitor at the right height, you should also invest in an ergonomic gaming desk. You want to have a desk at the right height so that your arms bend at 90-degree angles so you’re comfortable and not causing any strain. To really kick things up a notch, find a standard desk that transforms into a standing desk so you can get up, stretch your legs, get the blood flowing, and keep up with the action on screen.
Protecting Your Hands
Finally, you must protect your hands and wrists during gaming sessions. You want to avoid any long-term positions that can lead to stress on your joints and supporting tissues. Follow the same rules you’ve heard when doing typical office work at a desk. When you grip your mouse, you want your forearm, wrist, and hand to be on an even plane. If your hand is higher than your wrist when holding the mouse, you’ll put stress on that joint, which will be painful in the long term. That position will also lead to slower response times while gaming.
You also need to be careful when using your keyboard during long gaming sessions. Just like with your mouse, keep the keyboard at the right height so you don’t need to bend your wrists or get your arms out of that 90-degree angle. Your elbows should be at the same height as the keyboard, and your shoulders should be relaxed. Try to keep the keyboard right in front of you to avoid bending forward uncomfortably for long periods.
It’s also vital to be careful during mobile gaming. Holding the phone for a long time can also be dangerous because the awkward postures and repetitive movements can stress the tendons, muscles, and joints in your hands. You can find mobile gaming accessories that can make things easier, like wireless controllers that are easier to use and provide better functionality. Don’t forget to adjust your screen brightness so it’s not too bright and also not too dark that you’re straining your eyes.
There are many actions you can take to make your gaming more comfortable, especially when you focus on ergonomics. Set your gaming station up properly now, and you can continue gaming for years without pain or strain.
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