Computer Drain?

[Chimerae]

quote:Originally posted by Naiad780

I wake every morning and feel GREAT.  I go to work, take a walk in the foothills over my lunch hour.  But when I get home after 8 hours of work, I feel so incredibly drained and need to sleep.  I'm wondering if sitting in front of a computer for 8 hours is draining my energy.  It's not the people around me--my coworkers and my boss are wonderful people.  There's nothing stressful about my job and I like it very much.  The only thing I can think of is the long hours at the computer.

I'm also experimenting with dietary things that may be affecting my energy levels, but in the meantime I'm wondering if anyone has had issues with computers draining their energy, and what to do about it since I can't avoid the long exposure to the computer.

I just don't know what else could cause me to go from GREAT energy in the morning to a complete crash around 4:30pm.

Thanks,

kj

There's actually hard science for this stuff.  All kinds of wave patterns come off the computer that mess everyone up -- some of us just notice it more.

Some people surround themselves and their work area with hematite -- doesn't work for me.  Some people find that a small fountain or fish tank (like a beta tank) makes all the difference.  Steven Halpern has a cd that's designed to work with your chakras to help balance this.  That particular Halpern CD doesn't work for me but "Music for Lovers" or "Higher Ground" seems to ease off the computer effects.  Some people find that wearing jewelry -- you have to figure out the approprited chakra level for you and your environment -- helps.  Stones used include black tourmaline, lapis, malachite, red jaspar.  I have good luck with bloodstone.  

There's also stuff you can do herbally, but that's REALLY tuned to the individual.

The other possibility (could be an AND instead of an OR) is that you tune into a group mind when you're on the computer composed of others who are also on computers.  If that's it, then some practice before and after can make a big difference.

One way to test the hard science electromagnetics is to see if it matters if you use a laptop instead of a full size crt.  If the laptop is no problem, then the computer emmanitions are affecting you and that can be helped.  

Also, don't leave out the possibilty that it's something in your environment and not the computer per se.

[mactombs]

I have the same problem. There are some other things to consider besides those Chimerae said. First, there are patterns everyone has where they feel sleepy at certain times, and 2-4 is one of them. Another thing to consider is that some people burn their fuel faster than others and benefit from a nap, or some other refresher.

I like the idea of a small fish tank or beta nearby, though. It's always good to have plants or animals (spiders I like) sharing your living space. You can definitely feel the difference.

[kiauma]

Is it possible it's just plain old-fashioned fatigue?

[Eol007]

I have worked with computers for a good decade including a massive data centre, and IT operations rooms. So would agree with the draining effect of working with electrical equipment etc.

Also worth considering other factors – look up 'sick building syndrome' for instance. Good lighting is a significant! I enjoyed shift work for 3 yrs in a window less room, and was beset by all sorts of stress like conditions and correspondingly found myself extremely run down after a time!

Visit you employer's Health and Safety officer for advice. For instance in the UK employers have a statutory obligation with respect to Health and Safety including office ergonomics and workstations etc. There is plenty on the net and no doubt similar legal conditions exist in the USA!

Microsoft's UK arm has some good info see: http://www.bcentral.co.uk/issues/administration/peoplemanagement/faqpeoplemanagement.mspx

I now use home/office setup and ensure my VDU and seating are as good as can be! A fully adjustable swivel chair makes an incredible difference, including the position in which you seat yourself! With respect to lighting good ambient is best! To suppliment this I I use Full Spectrum daylight desk lamp near the workstation. This has been a blessed relief and I find that I do not suffer eyestrain or get as tired as I used to! If you are still using a CRT monitor ensure the refresh rate is set as high as possible without interlacing. No doubt there is a office PC guru who can help you out with this!

Howevr I would not discount trying a bit of Space Clearing or office Feng Shui []

All the best,


Stephen

[Naiad780]

quote:Originally posted by kiauma

Is it possible it's just plain old-fashioned fatigue?

Ah, I should have mentioned that I don't believe it's "plain old-fashioned fatigue" because I don't feel like that on weekends or days off, or days when I am working but not at the computer all day.

[Naiad780]

quote:people find that wearing jewelry -- you have to figure out the approprited chakra level for you and your environment -- helps

How do you find something like that out?

[Naiad780]

quote:Originally posted by mactombs
It's always good to have plants or animals (spiders I like) sharing your living space. You can definitely feel the difference.

That's a good idea.  I might try a little fish tank, and maybe some plants that are hard to kill, since I seem to have a black thumb!

[Naiad780]

You know, we have those horrid flourescent lights in our offices.  I can't actually shut mine off.  I wonder if I could remove the light bulb and bring in a better lamp for my desk?

Feng Shui: I checked out a few books last month on Feng Shui but just couldn't get into it.  I don't have enough money for all the windchimes, crystals, and elemental representations that they sugggested.  I did check my furniture positioning, though, and moved things around at home.

[Grigori]

You may do better with a full spectrum bulb if you can get one for your fluorescent fixture. Also many people get fatigued by computers because of eye strain especially with the old style monitors. The old monitors flicker more and coupled with the 60 Hz flicker of the fluorescent lights ... it's more than  some people can handle. Some other things that lead to eye strain is siting too close to the screen, especially if one wears corrective lenses, and being confined to a cubicle ... eyes need to focus at greater distances once in a while to kinda stretch.

[Reality]

I don't doubt the possibility that sitting in front of a computer too long, can give the feeling of being drained.

Do you get painful eyes from the longterm exposure or anything?

Perhaps, sneaking to the toilet, and doing a brief meditation(with deep breath regulation) of a few minutes can make a difference. If you subject yourself of the art 'o energy developement that is.

[Hannah b]

ok,
Do me a favour and scare the **** out of me.
What are the long time side effects of feeling drained?
I'm stupid enough to work up to 18 hours a day for months in  a row. Without weekends or days off.
I don't really worry about the people around me telling me I'm insane anymore, and the only thing that could actually wake me up is giving me some spiritual arguments.
Thanks

[upstream]

Hehe, Hannah. Your situation is as serious as mine. You don't need to fear from working with computers anymore. You're already addicted. The danger would come when you decide to quite and have a "normal life."

Anyways, the CRT-monitors do the greates damage. They produce a strong EM-field that generate both positive and negative ions. While the surface of the monitor bound the negative ones, positive ions (bad, bad) are emitted onto our faces where having a repuslion effect on the "healthy," negative ones, so we cant inhale them in the required amounts.

Negative ions are required for decomposition of serotonin. High levels of serotonin are associated with tiredness and depression. The result is called Serotonin Irritation Syndrome (SIS). But I have to note, tiredness and depression is definately not my conditions, so in this sesne people should be different.

[Hannah b]

quote: positive ions (bad, bad) are emitted onto our faces where having a repuslion effect on the "healthy," negative ones, so we cant inhale them in the required amounts.

I'm a bit afraid to ask you Upstream, to show me a picture of the way I'll look,  in 30 years of sitting in front of a computer . I'm just wondering if  positive ions make faces melt or just fall apart bit by bit....

quote:Negative ions are required for decomposition of serotonin. High levels of serotonin are associated with tiredness and depression. The result is called Serotonin Irritation Syndrome (SIS).

OMG! What an enlightment!  No wonder I can't make up my mind everyday,
whether I should shoot myself or maybe just cut my veins ..[}:)]
I know that I have low serotonin levels as a default setting, but now you're telling me that my work is making worse!! This is starting to make sence......
Once in a while, when I have a few days off and get some sleep, i get such an energy boost that I don't know what to do with myself..It's pretty uncomfortable because no one can keep up with me and I feel like a complete freak. So I go back to work, get my energy drained and become a regular, gray citizen of this world.
Maybe I just learned that I'm subconciously trying to pull (put??) myself down again with overworking , since it's my favourite thing to do?
I have to go home and do some thinking now...
Upstream, if I may ask, do you work so much because you love your job, or because you feel that you have to work so much, because if you don't  the entire world will collapse?
Thanks and warm greetings from one of my caves filled with 4, 20 inch CRT monitors, a 20- inch TV set, 3 large speakers and a powerbook. It's Sunday, 6:45 p.m. The sun is setting and it's a beautiful, warm day outside.

[Chimerae]

It used to be that if I was a practicing workaholic, guzzling coffee all day under florescent lights in a cinderblock office surrounded by engineers and computers that I could keep my etheric tendencies sufficiently repressed (read that: curled up in a fetal position hiding in some astral closet or something) that I could have what looked like a normal life.

They got loose one day and payback has just been a grump ever since.

Now the only thing that seems to attenuate the input at all is coffee.

[upstream]

You know, Hannah, mirroring and organizing all the porn sites currently exist on the Net takes some time.

But I messed up my explanation with an arty flick - of course positive ions don't repel negative ones. The main point is still that breathing air that rich in positive ions is definately an unhealthy occupation. Not only make your eyes red (I like to believe that my eyes are results of spiritual enlightement, vigorous practice of Shirsasana and not come from CRTs and smoking pot). Fluorescent light sources generates positive ions too.

I advise you to purchase a negatice ion generator (ionizer) and place it on your monitor to let those little ions to do their (edit)-coupling business without your concern.

[Hannah b]

quote: mirroring and organizing all the porn sites currently exist on the Net takes some time

Lol, yeah this can be a bit time absorbing..  I'll check out the ionizer..the name alone sounds as something that I'm gonna like using[}:)]


Thanks

[Naiad780]

I wake every morning and feel GREAT.  I go to work, take a walk in the foothills over my lunch hour.  But when I get home after 8 hours of work, I feel so incredibly drained and need to sleep.  I'm wondering if sitting in front of a computer for 8 hours is draining my energy.  It's not the people around me--my coworkers and my boss are wonderful people.  There's nothing stressful about my job and I like it very much.  The only thing I can think of is the long hours at the computer.

I'm also experimenting with dietary things that may be affecting my energy levels, but in the meantime I'm wondering if anyone has had issues with computers draining their energy, and what to do about it since I can't avoid the long exposure to the computer.

I just don't know what else could cause me to go from GREAT energy in the morning to a complete crash around 4:30pm.

Thanks,

kj