Health Problems Related to the Geek Lifestyle

jonasj writes "A doctor and former programmer has written a good article on common geek health problems. From the article: 'If I were to go and try to run a few miles this weekend, I would not be able to easily do so. [...] However, if you take one of the these college basketball athletes, any of them would be able to run miles without even breathing heavy. However, if you made them sit down and try to learn Java for 12 hours a day, most of them would be asleep at their desk before lunch. The typical geek trains their brain to be heavily focused while multitasking day after day. Is it surprising that this same brain does not do well when forced to isolate down to one task?'"

If there's nothing to see, try moving along.

[Tackhead]

Nothing to see here, because you've already got eyestrain.

Please move along at least every hour or two before you add deep vein thrombosis [wikipedia.org] to your list of troubles.

From TFA:

[eln]

The bed should only be used for two things-sex and sleep.

Or, in the case of geeks, one thing.

Re:From TFA:

[verbatim]

The bed should only be used for two things-sex and sleep.

Or, in the case of geeks, one thing.

Then where is the geek supposed to sleep?

Surgeon General's Warning

[Volante3192]

Slashdot effect can be hazardous to your webserver. Nursing or pregnant women should avoid the slashdot effect at all costs.

What about the benefits??

[Rob T Firefly]

If it weren't for my intense geek lifestyle, I might never have gotten rid of that parasite I found myself host to, a terrifying creature which constantly drained my health and resources day and night.. but thanks to my intense multitasking focus and nerd powers, she eventually left me and moved back in with her folks.

The Sun

[TheDreadSlashdotterD]

I've never considered it a lifestyle. It's more like playing dodgeball with the sun.

The worst health problem of all....

[Kaptain_Korolev]

Becoming forgetful and posting dupe articles to /.

Wait, so let me get this straight....

[MustardMan]

I'm fat because my brain can't focus on a single task? Here I thought it was all the taco bell and doritos I ate, combined with the fact that I sit on my big ass 24 hours a day. All along it's been because my brain just likes to multitask. Thank you, TFA, for giving me yet another excuse to skip that pesky personal responsibility thing and blame something else for my lard ass.

Re:Sounds mostly familiar

[Bimo_Dude]

I was going to RTFA, but methinks the web server is having health problems related to the geek lifestyle.

Re:Whatever.

[j1bb3rj4bb3r]

I believe you missed the point, or rather the analogy. The single task issue was more related to "why geeks can't handle certain tasks" such as meetings. The exercise was the analogy. Just as you cannot go out and do physical tasks you are not conditioned to do, so too with mental tasks. Apparently reading comprehension is a task you are not well conditioned at doing if you could not seperate the analogy of exercise from the point about the differences between multitasking and focusing on single specific task. The comments made by the doctor made it rather clear he encouraged people to meeting with physical therapists or personal trainers to get exercise.

I actually just like to take out my Jump to Conclusions Mat (patent pending) every once and awhile. It's part of my physical fitness regimen.

Re:This is insulting

[Red Flayer]

"I ran a half-marathon in under an hour and a half and put up 235 pounds on the bench for anybody who doubts me."

I agree with your post, that there are plenty of techies who don't fit the geek stereotype, yourself included. But the people who doubt you probably won't be convinced by claims of athletic prowess :)

But those of us geeks who exercise regularly, maintain healthy relationships with our significant others and families, enjoy sports, eat well... maybe we're not true geeks. "Tech enthusiast" is a better label for us, and it's the one you used in your post.

Somehow, though, "News for Tech Enthusiasts/Stuff that Matters to Part of Your Lifestyle" just doesn't sound so great.

Re:From TFA:

[__aaclcg7560]

Then where is the geek supposed to sleep?

At the keyboard. Get an ergonomic split keyboard so your nose can rest on the split between the two halfs of the keyboard so your face can avoid touching the keys. Otherwise, you will wake up with "QWERTY" stamped on your forehead from a regular keyboard.

Re:Whatever.

[Shadow Wrought]

arriving at 11am and working until early in the morning with the physique of a pipe cleaner and the complexion of unbaked dough - but boy could he code!

A bit offtopic, but that line has all the makings of a hilarious country song ;-)

wow, go run a mile then

[uncanny]

geeks contribute to the world, while atheletes play games. Unless they are going to put their "running miles" towards powering turbines to provide power for my computer, i'm not very interested.

Re:The Sun

[Short Circuit]

I should mention...I got a sunburn once, years ago. So I moved my computer away from the window.

Re:pr0n

[Anonymous Coward]

i for one wish i'd never seen any pr0n ...says the guy with assambassador.com in his message header.

Re:Balance, it's all about Balance

[BigZaphod]

Thanks, I'm a terrible procrastinator. I'm busy right now, so I'll read that later.

Look at it this way... if you read the article immediately, you can put off what you're doing right now! It's a win-win.

Re:Whatever.

[ceoyoyo]

I agree that I seriously doubt that anyone can't run a mile because of not being able to concentrate on one thing. Much more likely it's the diet of pop and habit of not moving more than necessary.

Re:This is insulting

[panaceaa]

I ran a half-marathon in under an hour and a half and put up 235 pounds on the bench for anybody who doubts me.

I doubt you. Now go run a half-marathon, fatty.

Re:Sounds mostly familiar

[HardCase]

Heheh, there's not enough in my wallet to matter...

-h-

Re:Sounds mostly familiar

[Fulcrum of Evil]

Try removing your wallet from you back pocket to alleviate back pain. I've heard it's a major cause of back pain because it causes you to sit on an angle, which is a problem with geeks who do a lot of sitting.

If your wallet is messing up your posture, I'll be happy to hold those funny bits of green paper for you.

Re:From TFA:

[rrohbeck]

Then where is the geek supposed to sleep?

In the hammock in the cube.

Re:No, geeks are lazy...

[gardyloo]

You're right at the cusp of realizing the difference between a geek and a dork.

    Only a nerd would draw a distinction.

Re:Eat your cake and burn the calories, too.

[gardyloo]

Your selector class reads a variable passed by the QB/coach/point guard, then picks a function and executes the steps.

        My god. The first time I read that, I thought, "Now what would Quick Basic have to do with football?"
        *sob*

Re:Sounds mostly familiar

[techno-vampire]

I used to get achy wrists after a long day.

So write a coumtry song about your achy-breaky wrists, make a bundle and retire to raise ponies. OMG! PONIES!!!!

Re:From TFA:

[Anonymous Coward]

You mean YTREWQ . . .

Re:Balance, it's all about Balance

[Paul Crowley]

I can put off reading Slashdot?