Your Body Almanac

Video gaming

Long sessions seated, thumbs flying, eyes locked on a bright screen.

Gaming is fun, social and can sharpen reaction time. The body cost comes from what a long session looks like. You sit still for hours, repeat the same small hand movements thousands of times, stare at a screen, and often play late into the night.

01

Thumb, wrist and hand strain

Fast, repeated button presses and mouse clicks load the tendons of the thumb, wrist and forearm. Pain at the base of the thumb or tingling in the fingers are signs of overuse.

SourcesDe Quervain's tendinosis (OrthoInfo, AAOS)Repetitive strain injury (NHS)
Do tendon glides for your handsDailyMove your fingers through five positions to help the tendons slide smoothly through the wrist. Stretch your wrists and forearmsDailyGentle wrist flexor and extensor stretches for hands that type, grip or tap all day. Get up and move every 30 minutesDailyBreak up long stretches of sitting with a few minutes of standing or walking.
02

Hours of sitting still

Long gaming sessions add up to a lot of time without moving. Too much sitting is linked to heart disease, type 2 diabetes and weight gain, even in people who exercise.

SourcesHealth risks of an inactive lifestyle (MedlinePlus)Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans (US Department of Health and Human Services)
Get up and move every 30 minutesDailyBreak up long stretches of sitting with a few minutes of standing or walking. Take a brisk daily walkDailyWalk at a pace that raises your breathing for at least 10 minutes a day, building up over time. Get 150 minutes of cardio a weekWeeklyAim for 150 minutes of moderate activity, or 75 of vigorous activity, spread across the week.
03

Neck and back strain

Leaning toward the screen or slumping on a couch with a controller pulls your head forward and rounds your back. Neck and upper back aches follow.

SourcesNeck pain (OrthoInfo, AAOS)
Check your desk setupAs neededSet chair, keyboard and screen so you can work in a relaxed, neutral posture. Do chin tucksDailyGlide your head straight back to counter the forward-head posture that screens and desks encourage. Extend your upper back over a chairDailyGently bend your mid-back backwards over a chair to counter hours of rounding forward.
04

Eye strain

Focusing on a screen for hours and blinking less during intense play leaves eyes dry, tired and sometimes blurry. Headaches often come with it.

SourcesComputer vision syndrome (American Optometric Association)
Follow the 20-20-20 ruleDailyEvery 20 minutes at a screen, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds. Get a comprehensive eye examYearlySee an optometrist or ophthalmologist every one to two years, and every year once you are 65 or at higher risk.
05

Late nights and lost sleep

One more match easily turns into midnight. Bright screens and an excited brain make it harder to fall asleep, and short sleep affects mood, focus and health.

SourcesHealthy sleep (MedlinePlus)
Set a screen curfewDailyTurn off phones, laptops and TV at least 30 minutes before bed, and longer if you can. Keep a consistent sleep scheduleDailyGo to bed and get up at the same times every day, weekends included, and aim for at least 7 hours. Set a caffeine cutoffDailyStop coffee, tea, soda and energy drinks by early afternoon, because caffeine's effects can last up to 8 hours.

When to see a professional

See a doctor for numbness or tingling in your hands that wakes you at night, thumb or wrist pain that lasts more than a few weeks, or eye strain with frequent headaches. If gaming is crowding out sleep, work, school or relationships and you can't cut back, a doctor or counselor can help.