Whenever I get a free day I spend somewhere between 4 - 8 hours reading and writing. (I've read for 2 hours, and I've been at the keyboard for the past 4 hours) The front part of my brain is starting to hurt. This always happens after a lot of typing and reading. Does anybody else have this problem? Do you do any exercises, or eat anything special to prevent headaches?
Turning my screens brightness down has helped, so does loud techno music. The background of this website is a light shade of grey.
From what I know of playing lots of video games or watching TV. It is much the same idea. Your eyes just get tired of looking at said format after usually an hour maybe two. This is why most video games warn you against playing for longer than an hour, or if you do. You should rest your eyes for at least fifteen minutes for every hour. Most likely it has to do with the point of focus for your eyes. Look out at something more distant or varied for those fifteen minutes and that should be more than enough, even after longer periods of time. Though you may want to go a little longer, trying to keep the 1 hour to 15 minute ratio as suggested above. Oh and techno music is always a good idea. Preferably of the uplifting or hard trance genre. ;-)
brightness is the main cause, so do turn yours down to a more eye-comfortable level... and take breaks every couple of hours...
Try typing with your fingers instead of your forehead. Hours of bashing your head against your keyboard is bound to hurt.
Here's a couple tips: force yourself to blink more often when in front of a screen, this will keep your eyes from getting to dry. also i'd like to recommend this free program to download. http://stereopsis.com/flux/ I have no affiliation with it, i just find it great. F.lux makes the color of your computer's display adapt to the time of day, warm at night and like sunlight during the day.
Thanks everybody I'm going to make sure I get outside today. I think I was starting to lose it last night. Isolating yourself for extended periods of time to write a novel makes you... sketchy.
Two ideas came to mind with this thread: 1) After an hour, if you still want to get your story out, use a voice recorder. or 2) Write it by hand. I know it is much slower, especially if you are a fast typer, but there is no harm in retreat back to the golder era of pen and paper. (side note: could you imagine having to write everything by ink and feather? has anyone ever tried that?)
something else to avoid is situating your screen so a window or any other light source will reflect on it... that will also be a major strain on the eyes and cause headaches... if it's impossible to avoid that, then get a glare-guard for your monitor...
It's your mind feeling very weared out from all the staring from the screen. I would just pop out a soda or two with asprin to relieve the pain.
