Changing Your Computer Settings Could Rid You Of Harsh Headaches

Let’s be honest, technology is here to stay. We are so far into the technology age that we can no longer deny the impact it has on society and how we operate today. We do everything with technology and electronics, read, write, shop, socialize, even work, and being that we’re currently still maneuvering through a pandemic and life has changed as we know it, people are definitely sitting on their laptops a lot more often than they used to. Since working from home, content editing and online streaming are a way of life now, it’s important to know how to protect yourself from frequent migraines and headaches due to constantly staring at a screen for hours at a time.

Why You’re Experiencing Migraines Often

If you suffer from constant headaches and prolonged migraines, you probably often wonder why you do.

Maybe it’s the constant social media scrolling or you were in a really noisy area and it triggered a headache that has yet to go away.

Maybe it’s time for new eyeglasses. Your migraine could develop from anything, but did you ever think about how it could come from using the wrong settings?

Not everyone is tech-savvy and even though people spend so much time on their electronics nowadays, many don’t realize that sometimes you have to change your settings. Sometimes the problem is simply changing the way your computer operates.

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How Changing Your Computer Settings Might Benefit You

When getting a new computer, if you’re not aware of how to work it and what configurations work best with what you plan to use your computer for, then you’ll most likely leave the settings exactly how they are. When new computers turn on, they’re set on manual or auto. This is because these settings are usually the easiest to understand and work with, but just because they’re easy to work with, doesn’t mean they’re benefiting you.

Changing your computer settings can be extremely beneficial to your eyes and headspace. Sometimes your settings are too strong and they’re causing more damage.

For example, having an extremely bright backlight can cause headaches and mess with your vision. Sometimes your backlight might be too low, which causes eye strain because you’re struggling to see. Then there’s the possibility that your screen needs to be zoomed in more or needs to be zoomed out.

The sound system in your computer might also be affecting you as well. The base may be too deep which causes ringing in your ears even when the volume is low, or the pitches are too high.

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It’s small settings like these that are easy to overlook and changing them could make working on your computer or laptop a lot more bearable.

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8 New Settings You Should Try

Here are 8 helpful changes you can make for your computer settings:

1. Change your brightness– Make sure the brightness of your computer screen blends with the brightness around you. Working in a well-lit area with a dim brightness causes contrast and strains your eyes.
2. Change your font size– Changing your font size will stop eye strain due to squinting because your fonts are too small. Make them bigger
3. Change your view mode– View mode is the display of your computer, change it to either text if you read a lot of writing, photo if you view a lot of pictures, or film if you watch a lot of videos. This will better your viewing experience
4. Change the angle of your monitor– Make sure your monitor is at an appropriate angle that won’t cause strain to your neck and face. Your monitor should be 20-25 inches away from your face. 
5. Clean your computer screen– Trying to see through a dirty screen can cause eye strain. Make sure to clean it often.
6. Adjust your sound control– Change the sound settings to something that works best with your hearing and isn’t too loud or penetrating.
7. Change the refresh rate– The refresh rate is how often your monitor renews its screen image and if done often can cause eye strain. Adjust this by going to your computer display setting, clicking on advanced settings and changing it to a higher frequency. 
8. Change the color of your display– Depending on what type of computer you have, it may be possible to change the color of the display. Changing the display to a cooler or warmer tone can be helpful depending on what works best for you.

Other Helpful Tips For People Who Sit On The Computer All Day

• Remember to blink. While staring at a screen for a long time, you don’t even realize that you don’t blink as often as you should. Try blinking randomly during your screen time.
• Give your eyes a rest. Take breaks, staring for too long at a light causes head pain. Get up, walk around and take a break

There are many other things you can do to help alleviate the pain that comes from using a computer screen all day.

It’s important to start with changing your settings. Not only will it help reduce your headaches, but it will also make your screen time more bearable.