Laptops and its Impact on your Health
Did you know that your convenient laptop could actually be affecting your health, and causing a lot of inconveniences for your body? Here are a few of the harmful effects of continuous laptop use.
Forget the X gen or the Y gen! Today is the world of the [i] gen. Gone are the days when the world used to run on horseback and the mouse was just another rodent. Today, someone who isn’t a netizen is considered to be a Neanderthal. The new world runs with the OPS (operation per second) system and the laptops have slipped from the category of extravaganza to the list of essentials. Desktop is passé. Anything else is long dead.
The laptops which were invented to be itinerant and portable have now replaced the desktops completely. Comme il faut, laptops were supposed to be used only for a limited period. But, this liberating lex non scripta, the unwritten law, had all the rules broken. The laptop is now used for as much as nine hours, and if we’re talking torrents and overtime, it’s definitely an all-nighter. And with the arrival of more brands with better configurations and economical prices in the cutthroat world of innovation, it’s moving with skyrocketing graphics.
Now this “blessing” comes in different shapes, sizes and colors. And, not just a help for work, it has surged into the “have it, flaunt it” mode. But everything in this world comes with its “conditions applied tag” and “expiry date”.
It can be said in no mean terms that “every blessing is a curse incognito”. The laptop too is no exception to this. The netizens may have turned their mind to the virtual but sadly the body is still human. The over-usage of the laptops are taking a toll on the mortal body of the [i] generation. The health hazards runs parallel to the OPS.
Hazards of Using a Laptop
Some of the health problems that a typical laptop user suffers from include the ones mentioned here.
Pain in the Neck
Literally!! One of the main ergonomic drawbacks of the laptop is that the screen and keyboard are very close together. This causes the users to hunch, affecting them negatively. The laptop, as per the name, is supposed to be kept on the lap and this increases the tendency to bend the head, mounting tension in the neck which causes pain and in certain extreme cases, can lead to disc displacement.
Shoulder Cramp
The laptop is often used while travelling and therefore the shoulder is compressed in order to have a better view of the screen. This leads to cramps in the shoulder. Also, while using a laptop, people tend to forget the right body posture as they are engrossed with the screen.
Twitching and Swelling in the Fingers
The keys on the keyboard are very awkwardly placed and they’re cramped to save space. While using the laptop, people may tend to keep the fingers in discomfited positions which can cause pain in fingers and even swellings in due course.
Vision Fatigue
As the distance between the screen of the laptop and the keyboard is very little, the constant staring at the flashing screen can spell sorry-sore to the eye. The reddening of the eye, itching and blurring are some of the common problems related to the eyes.
Spine and Nerves
When we use a laptop for prolonged periods, the spine is hunched and the vertebrae and the discs begin to degenerate. While using a laptop, our neck-curve straightens and affects the spring-like mechanism. When under pressure, the discs suffer a process of spinal degeneration. The long hours can send the nerve into irritation mode. This can lead to arthritis and nerve damage. Using a laptop for long durations is like literally converting yourself into a “bundle of nerves”.
The Hot Laps
You may be termed as “haute” in your immediate world, but I guess you too would not like to experience it factually. Laptops are supposed to be used by placing it on the lap. And while we use it on a lap, we tend to cut off a lot of space for the heat of the battery to escape. With excess usage in extreme cases, the laptop may burst causing severe injuries. The reason is that laptops are ergonomically not made for long usage.
R.S.I. (Repetitive Strain Injury)
The constant usage of the laptop causes neck and shoulder strain, finger numbness and various other problems. We tend to neglect all those cramps reminding ourselves that it’s just a matter of time before it would be alright. But, the repetitive injuries take a toll on us making us almost unable to do anything for a long time. As the body parts are in constant use, the body doesn’t get time to recuperate.
With the massive surge of laptops in the e-market and the increase of laptop users, who are the corporate honchos, the hep executives, the self employed biz-wiz, the masters of B-school, and now even the students and the homemakers have been getting addicted to this gizmo. Although the laptop is accused of causing several physical problems, it is true that its importance cannot be denied.
Discarding it completely is neither possible nor a good judgment. But using it wisely is an option you still have!
Credit:www.lovepanky.com
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