Computer breaks

How long have you been sitting there at the computer?  Is it time to get up and take a break?  Sitting for a long time in a rigid position can be asking for trouble.  It can cause problems especially in your upper back and neck, and the twisting and turning of tense muscles can cause problems throughout the body, but especially in your head.

Dianne Stafford and Dr Jennifer Shoquist offer this advice for a quick self-massage in the excellent Migraines for Dummies:

Feel the base of your neck and your upper back for tight muscles.  After you find them, press down with your fingers and give those knots a gentle but firm massage.  Think of what you’re doing as a way of softening the knots in your neck and back.  Then use your fingers to massage your neck.  Be sure to address your skull, temples, and ears.  Be very gentle.  Stop massaging occasionally to move your head up and down, and side to side.

Of course, it would be great if you could get up and walk around during your massage.  A break every once in a while will do a world of difference.  KidsHealth.org has an article about children and computer use, which suggests that kids take a break every 30 minutes.  That’s good advice for any of us.  Better yet, take a quick stretch break every 10 minutes too.  If you have trouble remembering, get a little alarm clock or timer for your computer, such as ClocX, a neat desktop clock, or SoundBreak from Leon Matthews in New Zealand, which is specifically designed to remind you to take breaks.