Writers Can Learn from Gamer's Death

Writers can learn a lot from Chris Staniforth, a 20 year-old gamer in England who died after several marathon sessions playing on his Xbox. His father says that he used to play up to twelve hours at a time. Playing games meant sitting on his behind for all of those hours. He developed developed deep vein thrombosis, which is when a blood clot forms in deep veins, such as those in the legs. In Staniforth's case, the clot traveled up to his lungs and blocked an artery, known as a pulmonary embolism.

DVTs are often associated with travel, as people sit for long periods in a car or on an airplane. Circulation issues can also arise from sitting at a desk for several hours on end. Writers work on a computer. Whether it is a laptop, desktop, tablet or even a smartphone, chances are you are sitting while doing it.

Risks for Writers

Writers also have a tendency to get sucked into their work. When writing that fictional masterpiece, you can get lost in the story and character development. Researching and writing content can easily turn into hours of self-education, synthesizing and sharing. Before you know it, a whole morning or afternoon has flown by and you are still sitting there. Writers who depend on the income are also prone to marathon writing sessions as they squeeze out deadlines to pay their bills.

In July 2011, a study was released called "Prolonged Sitting Increases Risk of Blood Clots in Lungs of Inactive Women." It showed that inactive women were two to three times more likely to develop a pulmonary embolism as active women. Some work-at-home writers are going to have the advantage of interruptions from family that require them to get up and move around. Others may be single and thus have to force themselves to get up.

Other risks when sitting for lengthy writing sessions include obesity and high blood pressure. Fluid backups from sedentary lifestyles can also contribute to sleep apnea and strokes.

How to Write and Still Be Active

Writers often schedule some work and research time. They also need to schedule some movement within that work time. For some it is beneficial to block off specific time slots. For example, write for one hour and then take a ten- to fifteen-minute walk. For others it works to work around goals. For example, research one article and then take a five-minute break. Then write the article and take a longer walk. Movement about once an hour is advantageous.

Movement doesn't always even have to be walking around the block. Do some jumping jacks or run up and down the stairs to change laundry. Take time to walk around a room and dust or wipe down surfaces. Invest in an arm bike, which has pedals and can sit on a table. It can also sit on the floor under the desk and you can pedal as you write. If possible, try to change positions or relocate.

Brainstorm ideas and outline articles in a digital recorder while you walk on a treadmill or elliptical. Do toe raises as you dictate an article using Dragon software. The boost to your physical health will also clear your mind. Mental clarity leads to better writing.

Sources:

"Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)." Mayo Clinic. August 2009. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/deep-vein-thrombosis/DS01005

"Prolonged Sitting Increases Risk of Blood Clots in Lungs of Inactive Women." Medical News Today. July 2011. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/230468.php

"Pulmonary embolism." Mayo Clinic. September 2009. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/pulmonary-embolism/DS00429

"Xbox addict 'dies from blood clot'." Yahoo! Games. July 2011. http://blog.games.yahoo.com/blog/866-xbox-addict-dies-from-blood-clot/

Zafar, Amina. "Sitting and screen time: How they affect your health." University of Tulsa. June 2009. http://www.utulsa.edu/personnel/pdf/changing-channels.pdf