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Ask HN: Improving health despite working in a screen-based job

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Re: Ask HN: Improving health despite working in a screen-based job

#11
post #3

For every 20 minutes in front of the screen, go for a 10 minute walk. This has the added benefit of keeping your eyes, back,shoulders,neck, wrists and most importantly your brain in a relaxed state while getting things done. The trick is to keep thinking about what your working on during your walks. It’s sort of like background processing. When you return to your screen afterwards you may have the problem you were wo…

I wish something like that would be possible for me, but it isn't for 2 reasons: 1. Getting into writing flow (either code or documents) takes me a while. 2. It's so hot here for most of the year, that after walking outside for 10 minutes I need another 10 just to cool down.

Re: Ask HN: Improving health despite working in a screen-based job

#12
The only people I see successfully using stuff like standing desks etc are people who are already fit and also go to the gym every day. For other folks like me the only thing that works is to take a proper 15 - 20 min break minimum every 2 hours and go for a walk, take a break every hour to get a glass of water or something, and exercise in a gym or somewhere at least thrice a week. Honestly this itself drains me!

Re: Ask HN: Improving health despite working in a screen-based job

#13
You can try doing microworkouts throughout the day. For example:

1. I start the day with one set each of jumping jacks and ab crunches. You can also add in pushups and/or pull ups (if you have a bar).

2. I have resistance bands of various strength levels. Over the day I try to get in 100 reps each for biceps, triceps and shoulders. Usually I try to get a couple of sets in just before or after a meal.

I wouldn't say I'm in the best shape of my life, but this routine has improved my upper body strength at the very least.

Re: Ask HN: Improving health despite working in a screen-based job

#14
post #9

I don't think trying to passively exercise while working is the right approach - I take 2-3 15 minute walking breaks a day, but I also do 30 minutes to an hour of cardio before or after work every day. I use a bike trainer and rowing machine, but this could also be running, HIIT, roller blading, whatever. IME getting your heartrate into the aerobic zone for 30 minutes a day is way more effective at maintaining fitnes…

Walking carries much of the benefit of higher intensity exercise.

It won't build aerobic capacity much, but it burns calories and is good for heart health and so on.

Re: Ask HN: Improving health despite working in a screen-based job

#15

Buy three 4k screens. hook them up side by side. use all of them. forces your head and body to turn. buy a table that can ascend/descend from a sitting to standing position. vary sitting and standing randomly. combined with the large screens around you, there will be lots of movement while at your desk. but still minimize time at desk by taking phone calls while walking, etc

> Buy three 4k screens. hook them up side by side. use all of them. forces your head and body to turn.

This works for you? I tried that and it is the closest I had to RSI; I found it extremely painful. Guess I must have done something stupid; after a week I quit as my back and neck were hurting. Standing and walking behind my computer all day works fine though.

Re: Ask HN: Improving health despite working in a screen-based job

#16
I'm not a fan of standing desks for myself - I inevitably find myself leaning or unfocused. Dependent on your situation, but the things that work for me:

- see a personal trainer once a week (over Zoom). Forces me to show up, don't have to be disciplined.

- Set a daily step goal. Start where you are, and try to add 500 a day per week.

I think walking is the best exercise because everyone knows how to do it, low risk of injury, and you won't burn yourself out.

Re: Ask HN: Improving health despite working in a screen-based job

#17
1. Buy some bowflex adjustable dumbbells and put them next to your desk. You can almost do a complete full body workout with them in minutes, even without a bench.

2. If it’s weight loss you’re after, diet is way more impactful than exercise. Just eat way less. Try logging everything you eat, logging your weight every morning, and only eating lunch and dinner w/ no snacking (veggie snacks are ok)

3. You aren’t going to have the motivation to change habits without being well rested. Find a way to get at least 7h of sleep per night. Go thru the same routine every night, get out of bed for a while if you’re restless, and take melatonin as needed.

The most important part of all this is consistency. You can try the “systems vs goals” approach outlined here: https://jamesclear.com/goals-systems

Hope this helps!

Re: Ask HN: Improving health despite working in a screen-based job

#18
One issue that can develop over time is cervicogenic headache. This issue strains your muscles that span over your head. This origins from bad posture, typically from a screen-based job. Some exercises that help in these area, according to my physical therapist, are bending over your head as much as possible. Hold this position for 10 seconds. Then move your head back, such that you make a double chin. Also hold this for 10 seconds. The more you do these exercises, the better. They should strenghten your neck musculature. This way, you will develop a flexible neck.

Re: Ask HN: Improving health despite working in a screen-based job

#19
I focus more on quick exercise before/between work. So:

* 7 min HIIT workout before work

* Walks during breaks. May do quick sprint on walk, literally just run 20-30 seconds in whatever you’re wearing, once. No need to sweat

At work, I do do two things:

* I have a sit stand desk

* While reading, I will generally stretch or massage. Like just quick forearm stretches or massage of any points sore from working

If you have reading to do you could do that on an exercise bike, there are small ones easy to fit in an office. And I definitely recommend calls while walking if you can manage it socially

But in general, sit sit, stand stand, never wobble is a good mantra. Good exercise and good work both require focus and you can’t really combine them.

But, you can do good exercise in 5 min on a work break. I’m more fit and strong than most and haven’t been to gym or done workout longer than 15 min in years.

Re: Ask HN: Improving health despite working in a screen-based job

#20
Dynamic body movement, dancing, running, jumping. Desk jobs force us to be static, the longer we are static the more accustomed our muscles, tendons, ligaments and nervous system become to being static. Stretching doesn’t overcome a lack of movement, movement overcomes a lack of movement.

Lifting heavy weights & body weight exercises, lifting and holding your own weight is very important.

A calorie maintained diet. I personally believe in keto, mostly because it keeps people away from simple carbs which the body treats as sugar, and sugar is a toxic substance, IMHO.

Enough water to maintain hydration, even a little bit of dehydration will rob you of both physical and mental capabilities.

Adequate sleep, varies from person to person, but it’s more than you are currently getting.

Sunshine, if you live in the northern or Southern Hemispheres it means supplementing your diet with Vitamin D & vitamin K, at lunch time, 8,000 IU of D is what most of the scientific community recommends, it’s easy enough to go Google.

Limit screen time outside of work, many geeks have hobbies that have us sit at in one place for long periods of time. Mind and body need to be in harmony.

Get air quality monitors for your work environment and for your home. I did this recently and was shocked at what I was subjecting my body to breathe, it was really hard at home to fix the problem, but once I did a lot of things started changing for me mentally.

Don’t smoke anything, or drink alcohol, avoid caffeine, and sugar (simple carbs), avoid all processed foods. Get checked for food sensitivities, many plants produce toxins to keep pests away, and those toxins can be problematic for some humans. Eat animals that are free range naturally foraging for food, avoid grain feed animals. You are what you eat, and drink.

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