Sleep

When we think of the dangers of the workplace, the office worker is perhaps not the first person who springs to mind. After all, it’s not exactly working at great heights or climbing down mineshafts for a living. It’s true; office work may not be the most physically dangerous of trades. However, there are plenty of ways the typical -probably much like the one you are sitting in right now- can take its toll on our health. 

And what a toll. According to the UK’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE), some 1.2 million people suffered a work-related illness in the years 2014-2015 in Great Britain- resulting in 27.3 million working days lost due to sickness and absence. But perhaps the most alarming figure from the HSE is this: the estimated cost of ill health in the UK as a direct result of working conditions is US$17.5 billion.

So this is a critical health and financial problem to solve. The British Safety Council estimates medical disorders that are related to poor working environments cost the UK economy almost $130 billion every year. It doesn’t take a genius to ponder the kind of figures we might be talking about here in the UAE, where the sedentary is so prevalent.

What exactly is it about office jobs that are making workers around the world so sick? Well, it has to be said, there are plenty of culprits- everything from the lights above us to the chairs beneath us. The good news is once you are aware of the dangers, there is plenty you can do to protect against them. 

With that in mind, let’s take a look at four ways your office could be harming the health of your workforce- and what you can do about it.

1. Workstations

The problem: We’ll start with where the majority of employees spend the bulk of their day- sitting at their desk. And already we’re onto one of the most potentially damaging aspects of office work: sitting. Being seated for long periods of time has long been proven to be incredibly In fact, it is so bad for us that many experts compare the effects of excessive sitting to those of smoking. While there is undoubtedly some hyperbole in this statement, it is not difficult to see how the comparison has been made. 

For one, according to a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, sitting for long periods can increase the risk for colon, endometrial and lung cancer. There are also studies that point to a possible link with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.

And all this is before we have even touched upon work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) -a range of injuries typified by recurrent pain, stiffness, swelling, cramping or aches occurring anywhere in the musculoskeletal system- including the neck, shoulders, wrists, back, hips, legs, knees and feet. Generally caused by poor posture or repetitive tasks (including typing) MSDs are responsible for around 40% of all days lost to work-related illnesses in the UK, according to the Labour Force Survey of Great Britain.

The solution: Work with staff to create – this could mean repositioning screens, mice and keyboards to ensure they are at the correct height and distance. Also, make readily available equipment such as ergonomically shaped keyboards and mice, wrist and footrests and standing desks. 

2. Indoor air

The problem: Though it may sound alarmist, the truth is there’s a good chance that the very air you’re breathing right now could be harming your health. In a study published in the Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry, it was found that indoor air pollutant levels can reach up to five times the levels found outside- and there are cases where it could be as much as 100 times. This is not exactly great news for a country like the UAE where residents spend as much as 90% of their time indoors.

Unfortunately, it is not only cool air that is pumped through your office building via the air conditioning unit. When air conditioners are not regularly cleaned, they become breeding grounds for all kinds of nasty airborne irritants such as mould, bacteria, fungi and other microbes. These are then pumped throughout the office and into the lungs of your workforce- potentially leading to a whole host of respiratory problems. 

And breathing difficulties are just one part of the problem– air conditioning has also been shown to induce headaches, fatigue and general sickliness. In fact, several studies including one published in the International Journal of Epidemiology have found that those who work in office buildings with central air conditioning show more symptoms of illness and have more days off sick than those who do not. 

The solution: The easiest solution is to shut off the air conditioning and get some fresh air. But let’s be realistic, that’s not particularly practical out here in the UAE. So, failing that, it’s important to encourage your employees to go outside while on even if it’s just walking around in the shade outdoors for a few minutes. Meanwhile, it’s a must to ensure the filters in your air conditioning units are regularly cleaned to cut down on airborne microbes. 

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3. Lighting

The problem: Have you ever walked into the office in the morning and squinted at the bright fluorescent lights that line the ceiling? If the answer is yes, then there’s a good chance your working area is over-illuminated. This occurs when artificial light is brighter than it needs to be for the task at hand– which is the case in most offices. While we all need a well-lit workspace, over-exposure to bright, artificial light can lead to a number of serious health conditions. 

In a paper published by the Harvard Health Letter, researchers showed that excessively bright light affects melatonin production- the hormone that promotes sleep. Essentially, it starts to play havoc with the body’s circadian rhythm- our natural 24-hour cycle of wakefulness. This is more and more of an issue today since we have so many devices with blue light as well as long hours in the office. Over exposure can lead to a restless night and as anyone who has ever suffered from insomnia knows, poor sleep has a tremendous impact on Beyond this, there is tentative evidence that suggests this may in turn be linked to an increased risk of certain diseases, such as cancer and diabetes.

Finally, the fluorescent lights commonly found in offices are constantly flickering- even if imperceptible to the naked eye. Over the course of an eight-hour day, five days a week, this puts tremendous strain on the eyes leading to headaches and migraines. 

The solution: The ideal solution here is to allow for as much natural light as possible throughout your workspace. If that’s not possible then choosing softer bulbs or dimming lights can also have the desired effect. And once again, regular breaks from the confines of the office are the order of the day. 

4. Working long hours

The problem: While not a specific aspect of the office environment per se, there is yet another way the office could be harming your employees’ health- and that’s how long they spend there. Aside from the obvious risk of fatigue and burnout that comes from such a grueling work schedule, long working hours have also been linked with increased risk of several medical conditions. A recent review of multiple studies published in the Lancet showed that employees who work long hours have an increased risk of stroke when compared to those working standard hours.

Of course, the primary reason behind this increased risk is something we know all about here in the UAE- stress. It is something that affects an alarmingly large percentage of the population. Coupled with the inactivity of being at a desk all day, it all mounts up to take its toll on our overall health.

And if we think working longer hours means higher then we’re really barking up the wrong tree. It’s becoming clearer that “working long” doesn’t equate to “working smart.” Working long hours can lead to mistakes being made and poor decisions being taken.

The solution: The first step is to create a culture where employees do not feel chained to their desks. Encourage staff to take regular breaks and set clear rules on cut-off times for sending work requests. Increasingly, managers are finding that flexible working is an effective way of reducing hours while increasing productivity and lowering cases of absenteeism. 

Counting the cost of work-related illness

This is not an exhaustive list, but it’s clear you don’t have to be working above a safety net to be at risk of work-related injuries and illness. The humble office contains within it many hazards that if not managed correctly can have dire consequences for employee health. In addition, there is another huge incentive for employers to get it right when it comes to the office environment: the financial one. 

It is easy to feel like little can be done to keep such costs under control. In actual fact, the solution is relatively simple- and it starts with education. If your staff don’t know the potential consequences of certain then they are unlikely to avoid them. That’s why the first step is always to make employees aware of how they can protect themselves against work-related injuries- by providing advice on good posture and adequate screen breaks.

Next up, strive to create a culture in which employees feel comfortable addressing any issues that they feel may be affecting their health- be it an uncomfortable working environment or simply overwork. Addressing and overcoming these issues early will reduce the risk of any costly medical conditions further down the line as well as resulting in a healthy, happy and productive workforce.

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Mental Illness: Depression Depression a serious medical condition in which a person feels very sad, hopeless, unimportant, anger without enthusiasm, and often is unable to live in a normal life. Each person is different and will have unique symptoms, but here are some of the more common symptoms of depression: >Feeling of sadness and loss: Feeling that life is not worth living or worth the effort to even maintain their appearance or hygiene.

They may believe that a negative situation will never change nd be pessimistic about their future >Feelings of guilt and worthlessness: Low self esteem and guilt assuming blame for negative events or circumstances. You may feel like a failure and have negative views about their competence and self- worth. You feel as if you are not “good enough. ” >Changes in weight or appetite: Depression affects the appetite in one way or another. Often, you Just lose interest in eating because the food has no taste. When anxiety is high, you may not be able to eat.

In some cases, however, people will overeat out of frustration or misery. >Changes in sleeping patterns like insomnia: Sleep disturbances are common symptoms of depression. A “good night’s sleep” becomes virtually impossible. Many people complain of waking up in the middle of the night with their mind racing, wondering how they are going to overcome all of the obstacles before them. Others do little other than sleep but never feel rested. In both cases, the built up fatigue can aggravate every other aspect of depression.

Reduces ability to think clearly or make decisions: It affects your ability to make decisions, think clearly, perform complicated tasks, concentrate, and remember things. You may feel that you don’t remember things that you did before, that you cannot focus on your work, or that you are unable to make decisions >Anxiety: A feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease about something with an uncertain outcome. >Recurring thoughts of suicide or self-harm: When you suffer from depression, thoughts of suicide are often common.

If there is no relief over a long period of time, suicide can feel like the only way to end the pain. >Social Isolation: Poor communication lacking connection with friends and family. Avoiding family gatherings and events. Teens that used to spend a lot of time with friends may now spend most of their time alone and without interests. Not sharing feelings with others, believing that you are alone in the world and no one is listening to you or even cares about you. Depression: Signs and Symptoms By spiderwebz

There have been many articles about how getting up early is the key to success. The most well-known is one by Richard Branson, . Recently I read one by Peter Shankman, , where Peter explains why his getting up at 3:30 a.m. is key to his success. I’m sorry, but a 3:30 a.m. wake time is just nuts — unless you own a chicken farm or a Dunkin’ Donuts.

Now there is no doubt these men are highly successful, but I have had some significant success myself and have found that I am most comfortable and successful when my sleep time is 1 to 2 a.m. and my wake time is 7 to 8 a.m. Having been a single father of five children (their mother left us when they were very little), I have had to do early wake-time for many years to get them ready and off to school. But when I didn’t have to do that anymore, I went back to my more natural later bed and wake times.

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I owned and ran my own photographic distribution business and camera store for 28 years, so getting in early was not necessary. Today I am the U.S. CEO of a new professional social network, so I can set my starting time there too. Social media happens 24/7, but with very little going on at 3:30 a.m.

Here are my top 10 reasons why going to bed later and getting up later has led to my success:

1. The news is really news. 

When you take in the news at night, you are viewing it when it is fresh and about the day you just experienced. I find it so much more relevant to see news, financial updates and sports the day it happens. Go to bed early and you see it when you wake up — when the world is onto to something new.

2. Enjoy some commuter bliss.

For those of us that live in New York, going into work after rush hour save hours per day and adds years to your life. And going in a touch later means you leave after rush, too. Bonus: I would be at work after everyone else left and that was my most uninterrupted and therefore most productive time.

3. Be better prepared for the next day.

I look at my calendar at night for the next day and I prepare my clothes, equipment and whatever I need for the next day when no one is around to bother me or distract me. I can think about what I need with no pressure of having to leave and be someplace. How many times have we forgotten something at home because we are rushing in the morning? I rarely do.

4. Creativity peaks at night.

When you wake up in the morning you are thinking about the day ahead and all the stresses you will face. At night I have had the whole day to observe and synthesize my thoughts. I do most of my writing (including this article) at night when it’s calm and quiet, there are no interruptions and I have no place to go.

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5. Sleep with less stress.

Who likes waking up to an alarm? For me, just having the alarm set causes my sleep to be less deep. I go to bed knowing everything is prepared for the day and I don’t have anything to do in the morning other than enjoy my French press coffee and head out.

6. Lift more weight and run faster.

Yeah, I know Rocky got up before sunrise, ate raw eggs and headed out for his run. But that’s Philadelphia via Hollywood. Per , coordination, stamina, lung performance, body temperature, flexibility and strength are at their peak in the later afternoon to early evening period. I hit the gym right when I get home from work.

7. Dinner guilt disappears and enjoyment returns.

It’s common knowledge today that if you want to keep your weight under control as you age, you need to eat a light dinner. Not only is that a disappointing consequence of aging but it is difficult to do. Dinner is fun. It’s the time when we date, enjoy time with friends and enjoy great restaurants. When your workout is done at 7 p.m., your metabolism is rocking and your dinner becomes fuel to repair your muscles. Keep the carbs low, but you can enjoy that 8 p.m. steak — guilt free.

8. Take control of tomorrow.

I use the late night period, usually close to bedtime, to send email follow-ups from the day’s events and I give my directions to my staff and others for the next day. I go to sleep knowing I have dispensed with today and wake knowing I can start a new day with new challenges. Others will see my emails when they wake so that when I hit the office they have (hopefully) acted on my directives.

9. The Cubs won the World Series.

If you get up at oh-dark-early, you didn’t see Cleveland’s comeback, extra innings, a rain delay and the Cubs winning the World Series for the first time in over a century because you were asleep. I get to see the Super Bowl without yawning through the 4th quarter. And I will actually know who becomes our next president when it actually happens — not from a phone alert when I wake up. Important stuff happens at night and I want to see it when it happens.

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10. Tikkun Olam.

is Hebrew for “repairing the world.” My scheduling has allowed me to make a positive and meaningful contribution as a father, a company leader, and through helping others. I am on the board of two non-profits, I help manage another, I am a . I for several publications, and am lucky enough to be CEO of an amazing company and an to five successful adult children. My efficient and late-oriented schedule makes all of that possible.

Every small girl make-believes to be a princess and struts around conceive ofing a prince charming. Even when they grow up and go a adult female. they’re still waiting for that prince to come brush them off their pess, so they can fall loony in love and unrecorded merrily of all time after. This phantasy is much because of Walt Disney films such as “Sleeping Beauty” , “Snow White” , “Cinderella” , “Little Mermaid” and many others. These narratives have been passed down for centuries and legion versions exist today. There are many readings of the narratives and their significances that most people don’t even acknowledge. Though the narratives all seem different, some of them still have similar significances. “Snow White” and “Sleeping Beauty” are two narratives that have a common significance.

Sleeping Beauty and Snow White are both characters that are unrealistically beautiful. Sleeping Beauty for case, had just tegument. bluish eyes. long light-haired hair, and an impossibly thin figure. This sets unrealistic criterions for female beauty. Besides the narratives show a dependance on males for the female individuality. The princess is kiping. merely waiting for her prince to come salvage her so she can restart her topographic point as princess and “live merrily of all time after” . Snow White was besides poisoned and laid sleeping until her prince came to salvage her. In a manner, this is stating that adult females are merely waiting about for a adult male to come salvage them from ordinary life, so that they can hold their ‘happily of all time after’ stoping. Another point that shows up in “Cinderella” is that the stepmother who raised three kids on her ain, which shows independency. Is made the scoundrel of the narrative. While inactive Cinderella is the loveable victim. In these fairy narratives. They show intertwine a adult female is nil without a adult male. They give the image that a adult female has nil to make but wait for her prince. and so one time he comes her life will be fulfilled. In today’s universe it’s rather obvious that these things could non be more false.

Harmonizing to Bruno Bettelheim. the legion versions of “Snow White” and “Sleeping Beauty” represent a immature miss turning up and going a adult female. though it is showed in different ways. In “Sleeping Beauty” . or in Grimm’s version “Brier Rose” . the expletive put on the miss by the evil faery represent new limitations imposed on a female. It can be interpreted as the beginning of menses. The 13 faeries represent the months of the calendar. The 12 good faeries represent the 12 traditional months of the twelvemonth. and since there is no 13th month. the 13th faery represents menses. Besides the evil faery realizes the girl’s potency for going the object of desire and out of jealousy attempts to forestall the miss from of all time going a adult female.

Further on the representation of the expletive as menses. there is the King seeking to forestall it from go oning, because he does non understand it. However, the Queen understands the expletive and its importance, being a adult female herself. and does nil to halt it. So of course when the miss sees a spindle for the first clip, full of wonder. Se pricks her finger and falls asleep. The absence of the girl’s parents when she pricks her finger represents the parents’ inability to assist kids through the assorted tests of turning up. The King and Queen’s waiting symbolizes the delay for sexual fulfilment. It shows the terminal of childhood and a clip of quiet growing, from which she will rouse mature and ready for sexual brotherhood .

In the narrative of “Snow White” . Bettelheim explains how it tells of how a parent ( the Queen ) gets destroyed by green-eyed monster of her kid. who in turning up surpasses her ( 195 ) . The Queen is non merely covetous of Snow White’s beauty in some versions. but besides covetous of the love of the male parent for the miss. They are jealously combating to be the King’s favourite. Since Snow White is more beautiful, she has more power and able to win over her male parent. Bettelheim uses Freud’s Oedipus composite for understanding the struggles between Snow White and her stepmother. The King and Queen in narratives represent absolute power, such as a parent holds over the kid. When the child’s place in the household becomes a job, they try to get away to get down the route to happening themselves. Snow White’s clip with the midget represents her period of growing. When Snow White eats the apple, the kid in her dies and is left to rest in a glass casket, which represents waiting for adulthood, until her prince comes.

Both these narratives represent a miss maturating into a adult female. and holding an older adult female jealous of their beauty, seeking to forestall them from turning up. These characters have to travel through a hibernating period of resting, so they can make sexual fulfilment and awake matured. ready to get down a life with their prince. There is besides person in both narratives, a male, who does non understand the maturing period and attempts to forestall it. In “Sleeping Beauty” it was the King and in “Snow White” it was the seven midgets who tried to assist her. This shows that despite a parents efforts to prorogue being able to make adulthood at the proper clip, it happens however.

An article by Ph. D John Cline has help me to come to believe otherwise. There was a situation In which a woman woke up to her sleeping husband’s fists. Indeed the husband was sleep but far away from peace. The husband was experiencing a night terror. A night terror is far worse than a bad dream, a night terror is when someone wakes up screaming and in some cases they act out their dream.

In this case the husband acted out his dream; however, his actions occurred unknowingly. His wife screamed his name for him to stop, this of hich woke him up. These events didn’t stop there so the husband decided to seek professional help. upon being appointed to a sleep specialist he learned about Rapid Eye Movement Sleep Behavior Disorder. He quickly learned that he was suffering from a very rare disorder. About 0. 38 percent of the general population and about . 50 percent face this disorder.

This disorder is also known as RBD his class of which is known as parasomnias. Parasomnias are unwanted physical events dealing with sleep. RBD happens to blend with Rapid eye movement. In the sense of this disorder the person’s body is paralyzed and intense and colorful dreams occur. This sleep disorder is most common to men over the age of fifty years of age; however, Its possible for anyone to have this disorder but theyre not as Ilkely. Many sleep dfferent disorders associate with each other such as this one and sleep apnea in relation to rapid eye movement.

R8N happens to also be associate to Parkinson’s disease. There are Whitehead 2 many sleep disorders that can effect our sleep. This of which happens to be important because sleep Is Important to use as humans. Sleep can determine how health one can be mentally and physically. The Importance of sleep speaks for itself n fact, we do spend one-third of our life sleeping. I chose this article because everyone sleeps but, who says that we have to be at peace while doing it? I couldnt possible picture life without sleep.

Honestly, I think life would be entirely too long and tiring without it. I also wanted to know more about this disorder for future references. Psychologically this article covers REM which happens to be the movement of the eye as someone dreams. In addition, I believe that our society would be pleased to know this disorder Is not a common one. This article was great in terms of knowledge of the disorder. I would have maybe even njoyed reading this article on my free and not Just for class purposes.

In reading this article Ive learned that I am at a greater risk in having this disorder than the general population. To sum things up, never take your recommended six-eight hours for granted, because you never know when things could start to go bump in the night for you. Night Terrors By tiequeisha Jones me to come to believe otherwise. There was a situation in which a woman woke up to Upon being appointed to a sleep specialist he learned about Rapid Eye Movement however, its possible for anyone to have this disorder but theyre not as likely.

Many sleep different disorders associate with each other such as this one and sleep apnea in relation to rapid eye movement. RBN happens to also be associate to Parkinson’s important because sleep is important to use as humans. Sleep can determine how health one can be mentally and physically. The importance of sleep speaks for itself peace while doing it? I couldn’t possible picture life without sleep. Honestly, I think that our society would be pleased to know this disorder is not a common one. This this article IVe learned that I am at a greater risk in having this disorder than the

DotA is an abbreviation of Defense of the Ancients which is a map modification from Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos and Frozen Throne based on the map of “Aeon Strife” of Starcraft, a team game focusing on hero combat. DotA is a five versus five game with two sides which are sentinel and scourge. The map is divided into three lanes where creeps automatically spawn. The objective of the game is to destroy the opponent’s Ancient that is heavily guarded by several defensive towers which attacks hostile creatures. The map was developed with the World Editor of Reign of Chaos.

The first DotA map was developed by anonymous modder known as Eul. He released DotA even before the Frozen Throne came out. Then another anonymous modder, Guinsoo, took over and converted DotA for the Frozen Throne, but he later stopped developing maps. Icefrog then took his place and is the current DotA developer. Game is commonly played with teams. Each team creates strategy to win the game. First, they pick hero, one hero for every player. Next, player buys item for the hero to make it strong. And proceed into one lane for defense and offense mode.

Hero gains one gold, currency of the game, every second and forty for creeps and two hundred plus for hero kills. Player collects gold by farming, microing, and hostile hero killing to buy recipe items to be synthesized for an upgraded weapon. Also, hero gains level experience, up to level twenty five, every time they kill a creeps and heroes. Every hero has their own unique balance skill. Proper timing and usage of skill is one aspect that a DotA player needs to learn. Ever since the DotA was developed, the game had undergone many changes.

Game bugs and glitch do appear and are reported by testers and players. It gives a thought that a modder is not the only developer of the game. The DotA community has their own share. “But despite all of the community’s help, it is still Icefrog, a man who may be named Jeremy, who may be from Boston and who may study at UCLA, which makes the final changes. The masses may be the power of the movement, but the figurehead and initiator of all that changes is still focused on a mysterious, almost spiritual figurehead. ”1 The popularity of DotA has increased over time.

The game can be played around local area network or online through battle. net. Battle. net allows one player to connect with other players in the internet. Garena provides interconnection of players for every game, in this case DotA. It has several rooms created by a host player inviting another player to join in. DotA was once featured in the magazine Computer Gaming World. Different tournaments were done and one of the famous is Electronic Sports World Cup in 2008. LAN tournaments are a major part of worldwide play. From game addiction to game creation, the League of Legends was released.

It has the same environment with Defense of the Ancients, but an enhanced and improved graphics and animation and different characters, items and skills. Same goes with DOTA 2, the improvised DotA. Everything was remained. DOTA 2 is a whole new game. Even with DOTA 2 released, there are still player of the DotA. Pre-gamers think whether they will try the game or not. They are curious about the game. Things that in their mind are bad pictures like they will be bullied, will be laughed of, or will become attached to the game. They question themselves: why are existing players play DotA? How much fun can they get?

How to play the game? With these questions in their mind, they are influence by their curiosity to start and play the game and find the answers themselves. They will seek assistance first, and then remember the basic controls and movements of the character for their next play. In other cases, curiosity is not the reason why someone starts to play DotA. It is the influence of their peers inviting the pre-gamer to join the club – DotA gamers. The friendship does not want to be broken. The known reputation of DotA being one of the most addictive games pushes the pre-gamer to decline playing.

Some succeed in declining and others did not. It is because they are convinced by their friends to play DotA. Girlfriend of an existing DotA gamer is the common relationship status of girl players. They want to get the attention of their boyfriend. So, girlfriend asks her boyfriend to teach her and learn it herself so they can play and have fun together. Once they have tried the game, it will leave them impressions. The common impression is that it is not good because of the low quality graphical representation and the controls are hard to remember at first.

It is also hard to kill an artificial intelligence character that a beginner will think the game is impossible, but this will change later. Another one impression is ‘disappointed’ because their first play could not meet their expectation and will not be satisfied with the result. Some quit at once while other continues. After getting the game’s information, a beginner will start to change his view towards the game. He/she will discover that the game is exciting, thrilling, and fun. He will practice playing to kill an AI character. This will lead to continuous playing and eventually improve his/her skills and strategies.

When that happens, he/she will kill an AI and be ready to compete with other players. At middle time of a gamer, he/she finds DotA as a place of recreation and entertainment. His/her addiction of the game is showing. A gamer spends most of their free time playing the game solo or with friends. Other gamers still play sports and socialize with friends and play DotA afterwards. This case is a proof of attachment with the game. Some gamers treat DotA as a hobby. They only play for pastime or to entertain their self. They are not considered as addicted.

On the other hand, a gamer is considered addict when he/she plays more than an hour, spends money to heat up the game, and chooses the game instead of socializing with others. There are other reasons or symptoms that based a gamer addicted. As time goes by, for existing gamers, they turn out to become advance game player. The game is as familiar as their house. Strategies are like rock, scissor, and paper game. They can switch to new strategy for whenever they want. In-game characters are like dolls they control as they command. “Change is the only constant”, said Heraclitus (535-375 BC).

Changes show in the later time of the gamer. There are changes in gamers’ physical appearance, thinking capacity, socialization, and studies. These changes affect the player’s daily life. The gamer is different from his/her past self. If he/she attends a reunion, his/her relatives would think of him for another person. “Physical consequences of gaming addiction include carpal tunnel, migraines, sleep disturbances, backaches, eating irregularities, and poor personal hygiene. Carpal tunnel syndrome has long been associated with computer use, so it’s no surprise that it’s a physical symptom of gaming addiction.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is caused when the main nerve between the forearm and hand is squeezed or pressed. This occurs when the carpal tunnel – the area of the wrist that houses the main nerve and tendons – becomes irritated or swollen. Overuse of a computer mouse can cause such irritation and swelling, as can excessive use of a video game controller. Migraine headaches typically start in one spot and slowly spread, getting more painful as they progress. In severe cases, the pain can be so extreme that it causes the sufferer to vomit. Light and noise can cause excruciating pain.

Someone who plays video games for extended periods of time is more prone to migraines because of the intense concentration required and the strain put on the eyes. The term “sleep disturbances” covers several sleep-related disorders, including insomnia, narcolepsy, sleep apnea, nocturnal myoclonus (periodic leg or arms jerks during sleep), and parasomnia (i. e. , night terrors, sleepwalking or talking, and nightmares). Sleep disturbances are caused, in part, by overstimulation of the brain. However, some people can’t get a good night’s sleep simply because they think obsessively about the game they’re playing.

Backaches are a common physical symptom of gaming addiction because most gamers stay seated in the same position for hours on end. The lack of movement causes stiffness and soreness, but could deteriorate into chronic back problems. Eating irregularities are caused by gaming addiction simply because most addicted gamers don’t want to take the time to eat properly. Rather than eating healthy, balanced meals, they eat food that is quick and usually unhealthy. In extreme cases, the gamer may choose not to eat at all. An addicted gamer is not going to take the time to properly care for himself.

Showers, face-washing, and brushing hair and teeth all get put on the back burner. It simply becomes less of a priority, if it’s a priority at all. These physical consequences will occur in varying degrees from one gamer to another. Though the severity of physical consequences is often tied to the severity of the addiction, this is not always the case. A gamer that is already in poor physical condition will be more susceptible to these effects early on. ”2 Video game is also a cause of obesity particularly with kids. They eat while their character is dead and wait until it respawn.

Gamer mostly eats unhealthy or foods with imbalance nutrients. They do not exercise even sometimes which results to gaining weight, and back and wrist pains. This case majority happens to addicted players. A game player’s intellectual capabilities varies depend on his/her attitude or personalities. It also depends on their way of thinking and past knowledge. Gamers with strong and sharp mind usually win a session game in DotA. Gamers’ mind thinks fast that is to establish game strategy and to take up the lead. This factor is a good effect of video game.

He/she can make decisions fast but careful because he/she thinks as if he/she is still playing. He/she does not want to screw his game play and strategic plan. “Playing a game which requires very fast deployment of visual attention and motor movement could prime a strategy of speed over accuracy,” explained Nelson, “while playing a game which emphasizes a slower, more thoughtful pace could prime the opposite pattern. The main point is that different kinds of video games engage different cognitive and perceptual skills, and there are measurable differences in their effects, even in the short term. Similar results have been noted in previous research by Daphne Bavelier, of the University of Rochester in New York. She co-authored a study that showed video game players have improved hand-to-eye coordination, increased visual processing, stronger mental rotation skills and enhanced visuo-spatial memory. ”3 Defense of the Ancients is not as addictive as massive multi-online role playing game (MMORPG), where a player maintains and upgrades level and strength of his character and does not restart the character information after logging off.

Meanwhile, DotA characters start at level one every session of game. DotA is more fun to play with peers than playing alone. The average length of a game session with user opponent is sixty minutes. Thus, it gives the player to interact with his teammate and opponents for an hour. It is virtual socialization, where a player speaks through the chat bar and dialog box, and interact with other player with his game character. Socialization in real life comes after a session. Gamers snacks together and talks about their finished game and criticize the player who cause the win or loss.

It creates bonds and trusts for playmate. Gamers that play in computer shop increase their peers who they met and play the game with. Too much attachment to the game DotA affects relationships with family, relatives, friends and other people. A gamer that chooses to spend all of his free time and sleep for playing neglects his social interaction with relatives and in school. He only interacts with the player or peer he is playing with. And since he lacks sleep, there is a chance that he will fall asleep in class and affects his school performance. Peers changes the gamer’s way of socializing.

The gamer absorbs the negative treatment onto him and do it himself onto other game player. He tries to bully weaker player – easy kill, easy money. And his way of speaking changes. Polite becomes impolite and occasionally turns to being rude. Some of his words are swap with words from the game, ixempli gratia, godlike and ‘imba’, which only a DotA game player understands. Most of his expression is about the game. He loves to talk all things about DotA only with other DotA player. He will not try to talk about it with non-gamer for they would not understand.

Some gamers who are attached to the game do not fail in class. He manages his time carefully and controls his self with his decision to not set aside studies for computer game. Unfortunately, other gamers fall behind lectures. The common reason is lack of sleep. Gamer often yawn in class and inevitably fall asleep. Some gamers do not attend their first class and later drop the subject. There are gamer that do not spend their money allowance for snacks instead spend it for computer rental, if the gamer do not have computer at home or he just want to play DotA with other player.

Other gamers decrease their time for study and spend it for socialization with peers through DotA. DotA had different tournaments. There are Local Area Network (LAN) tournament, online tournament, international tournaments and other tournaments. Advance players grab this opportunity to challenge their skills and to compete with other strong players, but the common reason for joining is the prize especially the cash. Winners gain reputation. Losers gain rivals. The population of DotA gamers consists mostly of students. Their allowance usually goes to computer rental. Other gamers are nonstudent, with occupation and bystander.

Bystanders have more free time to play though they have insufficient fund for renting computer though they can only play alone at home through internet if they have computer. Those advance gamers with jobs are the ones who usually place bets to heat up their game. This is a form of gambling. They even place bets though they are only watching. Gamers make money through winning bets and tournaments. Experience is knowledge. We gain lessons in every experience. Experience sharpens our personality. Our mistake is a lesson to avoid and improve the right one. Gamers experience the changes which were discussed in the last topic.

While playing DotA, gamers experience different feelings and emotions like hunger, fun, excitement, and thrill. These emotions are triggered by neurotransmitters such as endorphins and dopamine. These brain chemicals are responsible for animals’ sense of pleasure. The brain secretes these chemicals when the body feels excitement, joy, or pain. Even a fake smile can cause pleasure and trick the body that it is happy. “Then, there’s the excitement. A good game will get your pulse racing and your adrenaline pumping, even if you’re just sitting on the couch holding a controller.

Games with a time component amplify this excitement, even in simple games like Jewel Quest where you’re down to one second before everything blows up because you didn’t find the three matching gems. ”4 During the game session, the hand-to-eye coordination is used. Most of the time, hands and eyeballs are the only part of the body that moves. They seldom stretch their hand, legs, and neck. Parts of the body that is not use become weak. DotA gamers experience lack of sleep because of playing. The gamers do not care of time during the session. His focus and attention are in the game only.

They ignore other matter even emergency calls and text messages are ignored. Reply is given upon the end of the game session. These are reasons why parents and girlfriend/boyfriend, if there is any, get upset. Based on the observation of the researcher, gamers , particularly on weekend, start to play at nine in the morning and finish at about four the next morning, then get some rest and come back playing. They said, they only eat, take small amount of time to sleep, wake up, eat again, take a bath, then go to internet shop to resume his play. For students, they usually play after class hours.

They are sometimes distracted by the thoughts of DotA while in the class. They are excited for class dismissal. They come home late and make their parents anxious. Some of these students are being fetched by their parent. Some act shy, on the other hand, some act tough and proud. In Internet shop, gamers are happy, and noisy. During the session, they shout and trash-talk each side even the watchers shout. Harsh and mean words are trash-talk like ‘weak’, ‘lousy’, ‘slow’, and ‘gay’. The competition each game is intense. Gamers who lose often get bullied and easily angered.

Later, this bullied player, sometime, cause trouble and brawl. Losers feel sad, depression, and shame, and think for a new strategy to win the next game. They gain rivals to overcome, putting more time for practice game to improve tactics. On the other hand, winners celebrate, feels fun, and gain challengers. Some gamers quit, but there are new players who replace them. The reasons of new players are curiosity towards the game, seek of fun, peer pressure, and friendship. People find ways to eradicate pressure and boredom. One of it is playing DotA.

The game DotA has effects depends on the physical and mental capacity of the gamer. Weak-willed mind and poor health are more susceptible to game addiction and negative changes in their personality and body. Playing the game reduces time for socialization and study. Game players must learn how to control their selves to refuse from overuse of time and money for playing. Parents must watch their kids. It is hard to forbid kids from playing video game. This action can cause the kids to rebel. So, give them outdoor activity like sports to balance their mind and body. Definition of terms

Bugs are small insect. Bugs, in computer program, is an error, flaws, or mistake in a computer program that produces an incorrect or unexpected result, or causes it to behave in unintended ways. Farming ,in agriculture, it is an activity of growing crops and raising livestock. Farming, in DotA, is an act of collecting gold. figurehead is a person given a position of nominal leadership but having no actual authority. Glitch is a minor malfunction, or technical problem. Godlike means resembling or having the qualities of God or a god. In DotA, it is a call for having nine consecutive player kills.

Imba is an abbreviation for “imbalanced”. Imba can be applied to a subject in gaming (Weapon, army, race, role or job) which can be either too strong (Overpowered, or OP) or too weak (Underpowered, or UP). Insomnia is a specific kind of sleep disorder in which the patient is not able to get into sleep or the patient is not able to remain asleep for an adequate period of time Jerk is a single quick motion of short duration. Micro is a word comes from the Greek word micros meaning small. Micro (microing),in DotA, is an act of last hitting creeps.

Narcolepsy is a condition characterized by an extreme tendency to fall asleep whenever in relaxing surroundings. Parasomnia, from the Latin meaning “around sleep,” is a sleep disorder characterized by abnormal sleep behaviors. Parasomnias involve unconscious complex, semi-purposeful, and goal-directed behaviors that have meaning or importance to the individual. These can include night terrors, sleepwalking, sleep eating, sleep sex, rapid eye movement (REM) behavior disorder, or any number of potential behaviors that occur while the person remains asleep. re-gamers means a potential game player that is not yet a game player. Respawn Also known as spawn, respawn is a gaming term used to describe the action of a computer player or human player coming back to life after being killed. Restless leg syndrome (Nocturnal myoclonus) is a disorder in which there is an urge or need to move the legs to stop unpleasant sensations. Screw is a metal fastener having a tapered shank with a helical thread, and topped with a slotted head, driven in to wood or the like by rotating, especially by means of a screwdriver.

Screw means to mess something up, turn things for the worse. Sleep apnea is the temporary stoppage of breathing during sleep, often resulting in daytime sleepiness. Apnea is a Greek word that means “want of breath. ” Spatial memory is the part of memory responsible for recording information about one’s environment and its spatial orientation. Trash-talk is a form of boast or insult commonly heard in competitive situations. Visuospatial is pertaining to perception of the spatial relationships among objects within the field of vision.

University students have long been known, as claimed by Dement (1997), to burn the midnight oil and maintain an unhealthy lifestyle, which could be potentially hazardous to their health condition. Apart from dozing off in the class, sleeping deprivation and poor sleeping quality led to many long-term effects on the health conditions. Recently, we conducted a survey among the National University of Singapore (NUS) undergraduates to explore their knowledge of healthy lifestyle and sleeping habits (see Appendix A Interview Questions).

The research mainly covered the concept of a healthy lifestyle, the sleeping hours and rituals. The aim of this paper is to reveal the general sleeping and healthy lifestyle conditions among NUS undergraduates and to revoke awareness on the healthy lifestyle and sleeping issue. Methodology The primary evidence was collected from our interviews, and several related materials were analyzed as subsidiary resources. We conducted face-to-face interviews and recorded down the responds from respondents. Six faculties were involved in the research, including Faculty of Science, Faculty of Art and Social

Sleep and Healthy Lifestyle

Science, Faculty of Engineering, Faculty of Business, School of computing and School of design and environment. Because of the limitation of the research method, we have only covered 96 respondents in our research. Results and Discussion This research covers the concept of a healthy lifestyle, sleeping deprivation and other related perspectives. The result is to some extent in accordance with our expectation, but some of the problems of sleeping disorders and deprivation have grabbed our attention. This section will discuss these topics in detail.

Healthy lifestyle concept The concept of a healthy lifestyle may vary according to different people. From the research, it is clear that sleep, nutrition and exercise are major contributing factors, with some of the respondents emphasizing the importance of scheduled and balanced lifestyle. However, they could only give an idea of the concept without knowing further about this topic.

Sleeping hours Scientists accentuate the importance of length of sleep, suggesting a six to eight hours of sleep every night. Insufficient sleep may lead to diminishing productivity, tendency to make mistakes and most dangerously, unintended sleep. Figure 2 shows the sleeping hours among the respondents. The percentage of sleep deprivation among NUS undergraduates is sobering. 18 out of 95 respondents stated that they have less than 6 hours of sleep each day, and as one of the respondents added, “There were many students dozing off during lectures. In addition, some of the respondents gave details of the sleeping time at night, ranging from eleven o’clock to two or three o’clock in the morning, and even shockingly, four or five in the morning when there is no lecture in the morning. However, noting that our biological rhythms work just the other way around, the sleeping habits of the majority of undergraduates are unhealthy. Reports (Fredrik, 2007) indicated that the period of 11 o’clock in the evening to 3 o’clock in the morning is when the body goes through a detoxification process and any time between 5 o’clock to 7 o’clock in the morning is suitable for defecation process.

Interviews with respondents reveal that most of them will choose to eat before bedtime if they are hungry. However, burning the midnight oil easily contributes to bedtime eating habit. Besides, scientists claim that eating within three hours before bedtime is unhealthy (Taft, 2012). The research also reveals that the second most favorable activity before bedtime is to exercise, which was proved to be beneficial to the improvement of sleeping quality, as stated in (Wooten, 2007).

The overall results from each faculty were mostly the same (see Appendix B). However, when it comes to sleeping hours and sleeping rituals, much can be done to improve the quality and efficiency of sleep, in order to avoid impaired performances and unintended sleep during daytime. The significance of the study of sleeping patterns is obvious, for it reveals the healthy condition of undergraduates and possibly revokes awareness of sleeping issue among NUS undergraduates. (846 words)

References

1. Fredrik, P. (2007). When is the Best Time to Sleep?.Retrieved November 30, 2012 from http://www. ineedmotivation. com/blog/2007/10/when-is-the-best-time-to-sleep/
2. Taft, W. (2012). Stop eating three hours before bed. Retrieved November 30, 2012 from http://willtaft. com/eat-at-least-3-hours-before-going-to-sleep/
3. Dement, W. (1997). Sleepless at Stanford. In What all undergraduates should know about how their sleeping lives affect their waking lives. Retrieved November 30, 2012 from Stanford University, Center of Excellence for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Sleep Disorders Web site: http://www. stanford. du/~dement/sleepless. html
4. Wooten, V. D. (2007). Discovery Health: “How to Fall Asleep”. Retrieved November 30, 2012 from http://health. howstuffworks. com/mental-health/sleep/basics/how-to-fall-asle ep. htm