Tips for eyestrain and body pains while writing?

[tacticalglasses]

Hi,

Any eyestrain and body pain tips you can share for those of us advancing up in years? Especially when writing for long stretches.

I do take regular water and stretching breaks every now and then. Looking at something much further than the screen every 15 mins or so. Programmer friends introduced me to dark mode, and fonts like Atkinson Hyperlegible and Jetbrains Mono... oddly enough, they helped. Same with a better chair, split ergo keyboards and trackballs. Distraction-free editors like kde Ghostwriter with a dark Catppuccin theme was nice on the eyes. Some have suggested an e-ink monitor, and will prolly try one when I get extra funds. (the Dasung one seems expensive)

Would like to try out stuff I might have missed. Any experiences with these?

Thanks!

[yanyanwrites]

ADDITIONAL:
Bigger Fonts. I use size 16 and 200% zoon. Yeah, I have bad eyes.
Sunglasses and dark mode/black background. I use eyeglasses and I put the sunglasses over it. It's too heavy on the nose though.
Eyedrops. Close your eyes for ten minutes.
I use LED Lamp above my laptop screen to counter the glare.

[JokesterComics]

I would recommend going to an eye doctor, so they can tell you spesifically what to do, but if it's anything like what I have, I'll tell you what I know. My condition is something like, if I write for too long, or have anything too close to my face for long, my vision becomes a bit blurry, and my eyes will hurt. If it's like that, I recommend drinking more water like you said, taking breaks when this happens to look at things in the distance, wearing sunglasses more often, even when it's not bright outside, and try eating more fish (idk, that one seems kinda random to me, but it's what my eye doctor said). Also, my eye doctor gave me this exercise to do, which is to grab a pen, hold it in front of your face and slowly bring it forward until it blurs. Do that around 10 times a day, and it should be better. The last one really helped me. As for body pain, if taking regular breaks doesn't help, I'd recommend a massage. Hope this helps :>

[eteraart]

It sounds like you’re already doing a lot to make your writing sessions more comfortable—kudos for that! I’ve been dealing with similar issues for a while, so I thought I’d share a few things that have really helped me out:

*Dark Mode + Blue Light Reduction: You mentioned dark mode, which is awesome. I’d also suggest adding a blue light filter to your screen, especially if you work late. Apps like f.lux can gradually reduce the blue light, which really helps with eye strain.

*Orange Glasses: If you haven’t tried orange-tinted glasses, they might be worth a shot. They block out blue light and can make a big difference if your eyes get tired easily. I’ve found them super helpful, especially when I’m working late into the night.

*Wrist Stabilizer: I totally get the wrist pain thing. I use a wrist stabilizer, and it’s been a lifesaver. It keeps my wrist in a good position and really cuts down on the pain during long typing sessions.

Bees Venom Cream: This one might sound a bit out there, but bees venom cream has been amazing for my joint pain. I’ve had rheumatoid arthritis since my teens, and this cream really helps manage the discomfort, especially during flare-ups.

*Seat Cushion and Chair: I can’t stress enough how much a good seat cushion and chair can help. I was dealing with a lot of back pain until I got a cushion that supports my lower back and a chair that lets me sit properly. It’s made a huge difference.

*Elbow Rest Supports: These are a game-changer! You can attach them to your desk, and they take a lot of pressure off your arms and wrists. I didn’t realize how much tension was building up there until I started using them. It’s been a big relief.

[Leyelle]

eye strain: close your eyes, look out the window for a while at something in the distance

back pain: stretch, downward dog, upward facing dog, and make sure you're sitting up straight and not arching your neck as you write

[kyupol]

I go outside and do a quick 30 min walk. Fast walk seems to be the most effective at getting a "break". Not running or slow leisure walk.

Or I do some stretching or push ups or hanging in the pull up bar to stretch out lower back.

I notice can only focus for 2h max at a time with the screen.

[arcaneer99]

Greetings!

For eyestrains: a splash of cool water and a 15-20 minute break.

For body pains: after a writing session, I do my yoga session. Savasana!

[daeygurart]

stops sitting like a shrimp R-right

[NickRowler]

I set up my computer next to a window. I had an eye doctor recommend looking at something far off every so often to help adjust your eyes. You will also get natural light. I will only work in dim light if it’s before bed and I am trying to prepare to sleep soon.

Professional video editors will set their computer background to a neutral color, usually gray. Having gray walls is also helpful but that’s not always realistic to set up depending on where you live.

For body pain, I recommend stretching every so often. I have a chair where I can stretch backwards because I tend to get pain in my lower back. I have a back brace for really bad days which has helped. I also do stretches on the floor for my back, you can probably find some online if you google it.

[tacticalglasses]

Thanks a lot !

Will definitely be trying out those yoga poses, body and eye exercises. Going to test f.lux and those fancy yellow anti-bluelight glasses too.

[darcyking470]

Thank You so much for your guide. It is helpful for my health as well as to gain my stramina.

[Leyelle]

aye, do as I say, not as I do

[JoshRaed]

I always turn down the brightness but I'm not sure how effective that is.

[2DLenzy]

I'm not sure what your setup is (monitor/keyboard or laptop), so I'll show you mine. I use a laptop with a touchscreen...

If posture is an issue, and you have a laptop, I'd recommend getting something like this:

...Unless you use a monitor/keyboard setup, but I don't see why you can't put just your keyboard on it for better wrist ergonomics and elevate your monitor a bit.

This particular one is from Executive Office Solutions. Around $40.

You can adjust the height so you can work while standing, and be more inclined to move around a bit and not stiffen up your joints.

I know if you not used to standing, you can use a pomodro timer app(free ones) to take breaks and switch it up from standing/sitting/slouching.

(For me, it works like an easel for my draw-directly-on screen hybrid laptop)

f.lux is also good for using at night, so you don't burn your eyes out with that blue light.