Intro

May 2011: 20 year-old Chris Staniforth died from DVT  [deep vein thrombosis], a blood clot developed from a limb and carried into his lung, after 12 hours of straight play on an XBox without moving. DVT also snags frequent flyers on sardine-packed jets.

His father campaigns to expose gaming as deadly.

 

Dilemma

Scientific research supports this. Gaming shares these maladies with graveyard shift work–hence, their mutual, odious reputation. Scary so far?  Even Metal Gear Solid’s metatextual approach discusses this.  Use ctrl+F and type “sleep” (sans quotes) here.

Common sense says, “moderation”. This article touches on that with tips (and technology) tailored to tired gamers who insist on gaming for long stretches.

Otherwise, following snowplow parents’ violent, hypocritical overreactions, the World Health Organization will bully governments into mandating stuff that China does to children.

 

Table of Contents

Dilemma
Vision
Fitness
Consistency
Company
Closing
Shout-Out
Bibliography & Links

 

Vision

Blue light adjusts the human brain’s circadian rhythm by triggering neurochemicals connected to relaxation.  Excess or untimely blue light tricks your mind into thinking it is daytime.

#1: Adjust your monitors’ tone towards infrared. If you use HDMI televisions as monitors, check the television settings. See if you can crank down the B on RGB.

#2: In your operating system, set the graphical user interface modes to “Dark” and “High Contrast” wherever possible. Blacken the backgrounds and use green (or hotter) text.

(Note: not all websites play nice with high contrast configurations.  Toggle between versions or switch them off while browsing.)

#3: Dampen the monitor or television’s overall brightness. If your game’s caverns are too dark, try in-game gamma correction settings.

#4: Don these. While unfashionable, even stereotypical (i.e. never wear in public or on camera), GMG Performance’s best pair can filter up to 60% of blue light.

These tricks will help your circadian clock, but cannot nix all blue light.

 

Fitness

Note: Consult your physician before following online fitness advice.

An increased heartrate hones the body’s reaction speed. So, competitive gamers pump iron or at least do cardio. Full-Body artistry–drawing on big boards to create animation sketches–produces very different results from sitting down at a desktop tablet.  Try to stay fit:

#1: Set 15-minute breaks every 1-2 hours. Never assume your team “will lose this match” because you’ll lose even more if you don’t.

#2: Stretch, including ocular stretching (look around the room to refocus). Monitor-Gazing strains the eyes, causing avoidable maladies like tension headaches. Your skeleton and posture will thank you after leaning upon a trendy, glorified plastic office chair limited to 300lb.

#3: Enjoy Japanese culture, otaku? Try their morning radio exercise routine (Raiji Taiso).

This is a daily, 10-minute exercise regimen accessible to elderly and children.  YouTube has more.

 

Consistency

Salaried graveyard shift workers comprise 20% of industrial nations’ workers. Emulate their consistency; the night owl life can happen only after concessions.

#1: Know not just when to quit, but also start. End and begin play at predictable hours.

#2: To survive the night, brighten your computer room to offset eyestrain. Douse all sources of light in the (separate-from-computer) bedroom. Consider blackout curtains.

#3: Never take caffeine during play–only 30 minutes before booting the machine and never after. Try decaffeinated coffee and black, brown, or green tea. The process does not eliminate all caffeine, but it should not overwhelm you, either.  Some herbal tea helps you sleep.

#4: “Cheat” your sleep cycle with a 20-min. “Power Nap”. The stillness and serenity will help you survive the night, but do not linger–going too far will make you logy.

#5: Unlike people, the diet debate never dies from exhaustion or heart problems tied to deprivation. Sleep is tied to weight, so reduce your portions. Everyone maligns simple carbohydrates for disturbing proper insulin function. Vie for complete protein, vitamins and minerals. Take care around excess fat and fiber.  If all of this sounds far too complicated, exercise regularly instead.

#6: Occupy non-gaming time with productive activities disconnected from the hobby. This applies to shift work and vocations. Never let anything become “your life”; once it is, removing it causes problems.

 

Company

If you game solo, depression and anxiety will ensue. Diminished social connection complicates matters, but you must still practice good sleep hygiene.

#1: Assemble ramparts around your telephone (cannons optional). Friends and family should know when to call without interrupting your game or sleep.

#2: Place a “Do Not Disturb” or similar politely worded sign on the doorknob so inevitable visitors may soften their approach.

#3: You are unique, but your problems are not. Co-Op games, zoom meetings, Twitch, and IRCs are your dashboard for confessionals.

#4: Talk yourself through it. Failing that, turn on a radio, podcast, or television and provide commentary.  You are not alone.

Now, go to bed.

 

Conclusion

If you’ve read this far, then you have more than enough of what it takes to win.

Good hunting.

Shout-Out: Appabend

This Indonesian Hoopla-Chaser, versed in memes & information technology (Minds & Twitter), started in college publishing and podcasting on YouTube with his brother, summarizing it with recaps. They cover “Hooplas” (notable public gaffes) garnished with memes.

A classic libertarian otaku [anime & gaming nerd], Appabend opposes activists lurking in venture capital-funded legacy media (i.e. gamer-targeting online magazines as Kotaku, Bleeding Cool, and The Mary-Sue) alongside sites like OneAngryGamer.com–catastrophists who shoehorn slant into every topic.

YouTube refuses him super-chat courtesy due to his inherent edge.  He leans on Stream Elements and private donors via Patreon & Subscribe Star.  (If YouTube makes you wince, try Odysee.)

Hailing from the third-world, Appa scrutinizes first-world technology practices and offers tips on repurposing/reanimating “potato” hardware or choosing recording equipment.  If that keyboard indicates anything, Appa plays music as much as the vidya.

Following his lead, this article takes no sides when providing lifestyle tips for gamers and graveyard shift workers alike, including and especially first-responders.

Links:

https://www.fudzilla.com/news/23596-gamer-died-after-playing-games-for-too-long
https://www.grunge.com/26711/happens-play-video-games-long/
https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/ps/197909-metal-gear-solid/faqs/15129
https://www.sleepadvisor.org/how-shift-work-affects-circadian-rhythm/
https://www.apa.org/monitor/2011/01/night-work
https://www.target.com/c/curtains-window-treatments-home-decor/blackout/-/N-5xtu1Zk32bo
https://www.amazon.com/blackout-curtains/s?k=blackout+curtains
https://www.walmart.com/browse/home/blackout-curtains/4044_133012_539105_1521917_1331481
https://twitch.tv/appabend
https://patreon.com/appabend
https://subscribestar.com/appabend
https://streamelements.com/appabend/tip
https://unsplash.com/@alexagorn
https://unsplash.com/@elladon
https://www.youtube.com/@eli_handle_bwav
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcxCvOPZCAw

Note: By clicking on featured affiliate links and either purchasing something or browsing said site, this site may receive a commission.