Chapter 10: Taking Care of Your Health

At one point not long after I started streaming, I was broadcasting multiple days a week for about 4 to 6 hours in a metal backed dining room chair.

Not a good thing when you were born with arthritis and other health issues, but I toughed it out until I was able to get a better chair (don't make my mistake guys. Even if it's just a moderately padded office chair from a thrift store, get something with padding and back support so you don't cause damage to yourself).

This was in between working out daily to try and stay fit and thus counter the sedentary habits that tend to come with streaming, plus many a time I deprived myself of sleep due to constantly trying to do other things in between the streams and working out.

Making panels for my channel (for those who don't know, I made not just my panels but also my social media graphics, logos, welcome screens, and one of my transition stingers in OBS), trying to create stream highlights, countless other things.

Honestly? I ran myself down physically as well as mentally, and it didn't help that due to all this? I felt depressed and thus also ate very poorly, which meant I felt very sick constantly to where I couldn't even work out let alone get out of bed.

And when I did have the energy and mindset to get out of bed? I didn't feel like doing much of anything.

But I didn't want to take a break because after trying to make a channel where people could come and vent their troubles out? I didn't like the thought of not being there if someone needed me.

So I started making a bad habit out of forcing myself to stream regardless of how I felt.

After carrying on like this for months I finally realized that I was denying myself the fact that regardless of how much I didn't want to let others down? I needed me, and I also needed me to rest.

So I did my best to take it easy for a few weeks away from streaming, though I still spent some time each day tackling those multiple things I was originally swamped with in between the streams and training. Just in moderation while I got myself back in check physically and mentally.

Since then, things have improved and I have a much better chair through Secretlab which has helped me stream for extended periods with little to no discomfort.

I've had more free time lately as well as more time to sleep and such though I still pull all nighters like before, but that tends to come with the territory of my health conditions (insomnia and sleep cycles that are hard to maintain come with bipolar disorder and depression).

In all, health comes first.

And while you might feel you're letting your viewers down if you take time away from your broadcasts? Those dedicated to your streaming pursuits will understand if you have to take time off.

And anyone who puts you down for taking at least a day or two to catch up on some sleep? That's not a true supporter because otherwise they'd understand that if you aren't feeling your best, then your stream will suffer as well.

Get adequate sleep in between streams especially if you work or have school.

Eat well and get some exercise even if its just a lap or two around the block.

Get up and move around. It doesn't hurt to even set up a timed command in your chat bot that'll remind you to get up and stretch your legs.

And when you ARE live for long amounts of time? It's a no brainer to stay hydrated. However while energy drinks may seem appealing? Consume such sparingly in contrast to water and tea.

Seriously guys, I've been there. Longer streams are fun and can open the door for more chances to get that viewer retention up, but its a double edged sword in that you also have to take extra care of your health compared to the much less taxing effort of a two to three hour stream.

I may or may not of already stated this, but I've done multiple all day and all night streams.

12 hours, 16 hours, and a few nonstop 24 hour streams which were done for Extra Life, a charity in conjunction with the Children's Miracle Network dedicated to helping sick children.

During those streams, I not only needed a boost, but I was also hungry and thirsty, the latter of which in my case comes pretty often from constantly speaking the best that I can and the resulting dry mouth from it.

Also with long streams, especially 24 hours or even longer (my max was about 26 hours) you're looking at a lot of flashing lights and fast moving images which are more likely to increase your fatigue, which leads to more requirement of you needing to stay hydrated and fed like a Sim on fast forward.

However, save that Monster/Redbull and that very enticing stuffed crust pizza for the last leg of the stream so that you won't have to deal with the sluggish after affects of an energy drink crash or the tired feeling that comes from being full from a big meal, which is only amplified from you already veering towards exhaustion.

Have a good night's sleep plus a nice breakfast/lunch/dinner before any big stream for that energy to go with you being well rested along the way.

Also I can vouch that gaming eye-wear such as Gunnar that promise to block blue light and reduce eye strain do indeed work. There are also monitors you can invest in that have forms of blue light filtering so your eyes aren't strained as much. Even for shorter streams of only a few hours, one should take care of their eyesight.

As I said, make good friends with water. I myself like Mio water enhancers so I suggest trying that if you don't like the taste of plain water. 0 calories, lots of flavors, and some have vitamin/protein/caffeine enhancements as well (< god that sounded like a product pitch).

Tea and its natural caffeine is also a good choice and I also favor Mountain Dew Kickstart's which are much more easy on the calories than soda or most energy drinks (80 a can) since its more of a sparkling juice beverage, as well as a good boost of caffeine and vitamins without much after effects (at least I've never suffered any crashes).

For food? Fruit, veggies, hummus, pistachios are something I would suggest. Avoid greasy noms such as chips and other fried snacks.

Make sure that for whatever it is you do as a streamer? You are only human and you need to do things for that aspect of yourself as well.

Your fans will understand if you have to rest. The best ones are the ones who tell you to take it easy and get some rest.

And if they don't and instead bail on you?

Once again, they weren't true supporters of you to begin with if they put their entertainment before your own health.