Is your PC a tool in your hand or your master

This simple but powerful machine entered into all our lives very dominantly over last 10 years or so. Advancement in networking and as a result improved internet connectivity made humans to remain glued to the computer more and more time. Slow a brilliant and useful tool discovered by man became its master. For most of us now it's difficult to comprehend life without PC and it's an norm to spend about 8-10 hours daily on the computer for work and social reasons. Let's take a while to skim through the health hazards and dangers for using PC or laptops for such long duration. I easily spend about 10-12 hours of my time everyday in front of the computer. What does it do is that it makes us sit in fixed posture for long hours and making few of our body parts go through same movement pattern and stress continuously. Over prolong duration these develops into different kind of body ailments and many different syndrome have been known to be named after computers and increased usage of computers. Lets go through few of them and how to save our selves from it while we go through our daily chores whether for work or other reason.
1) Mental problems:- These days our productivity, social circle, friends seems to related to number of hours one stares into the computer screen and rubs on the keyboard. There are even reports about young people attempting suicide when their parents have removed the PC or any of the associated parts like modem.
Likely solution to these is that from begin you have emphasize to your kids to look at computer just as another tool for work, fun and play. Reemphasizing this again and again would encourage them not to put in so many hours in front of the computer. when it comes to adults and if they are addicted I guess only option left out is to treat them for addiction at any psychological therapy institute.
2) Back or other related orthopedic problem:- Most common of these is back problem. As it has always been told for any one who sits long hours in front of computer or related job - treat your back with respect. You will find lots of material on this, use the search option at the bottom of the page. Do watch your neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, thighs and even feet as well in addition to the back. There have been reports about increase in problem from these body areas from computer professionals. Look out for other body joints as they remain in fixed position for long hours - wrist pain, elbow pain, and shoulder pain. Find proper position and resting place for all of them.
3) Eye problem - Most common computer problem:- All problems of the eyes associated with using the computer can be clubbed under the Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS). Symptoms of CVS include headaches, blurred vision, neck pain, fatigue, eye strain, dry, irritated eyes, and difficulty refocusing the eyes. CVS generally occurs because we don’t give our eyes enough rest while staring at the screen, and also do not blink at regular intervals, to lubricate the eye. Use the search function at the bottom to find out more about it. Some simple advice would be to use LCD instead of a CRT monitor. Keep appropriate distance between monitor and eye. One very commonly observed habit is that during the course of work people get engrossed and slowly moves close and close to screen as of they are going to pluck out the problem from the computer and throw it away. Also keep the monitor at appropriate height, this will be soothing to your eye as well as neck. If there are window near your computer terminal and it gives you a good view, every hour try to look out of the window on some distant object for about 2-3 minute. This is good for eye-retina as fatugue must be building up for looking at close range for long hours.
So I would say exercising helps. Whether or not you are one of those who spends long hours in front of the monitor and chugging away at the key board it help. It helps more for some one who spends lot of time on computer. Try very simple exercise for your Neck, Wrist, Thigh, Hip, Elbow etc. Just ensuring that these body parts gets a healthy dose of all possible movement would be good. Don't try to strain your self doing it as aim is not to become a body-builder but to stay fit keeping your job and other responsibilities for spending long hours in front of computer.
Develop and inculcate good food habits. Don't addict your self to junk food to stretch the available time. As you have very less time to burn away calories it will not be good for your body to take in huge amount of junk food as they normally have lot of calories and undesirable quantities of fat.
Thanks...Take care and remain healthy.