How to Setup More Comfortable While Dealing With Chronic Pain

Gamers always invest high amounts in high-end hardware and fashionable accessories, but when it comes to comfort, you find that it is often neglected. Comfortable gaming setups can be considered an indispensable need of any person, with or without a condition such as fibromyalgia or chronic migraines. These simple tweaks have helped me experience a lot of difference. That's how I have my setup optimized for comfort, which might be useful for someone in search of a more pleasant gaming experience.

1. Light Gaming Headset to Be Found

Most people typically don't consider weight so much in regards to gaming headsets, very much like other factors I look for. Headsets can be heavy, and because of chronic neck and head pain, it is literally a nightmare using a heavy headset for any length of time. The ones I have now are the Redragon H520 Icon Gaming Headset that provides a great audio experience, weighing in at a surprisingly light weight. Of course, it would be more convenient with a wireless headset, but the added weight, which typically comes from the battery and so on, disqualifies them for me.

Gaming earbuds offer a promising alternative due to their significantly lighter form factor. However, cost and prolonged wearability can be limiting factors. If you're considering earbuds, gaming-specific models like the Sony InZone Buds might be worth exploring.

2 Setting a Night Filter and Lowering Display Brightness

My frequent headaches and migraines make me sensitive to bright light. The following changes helped a lot with the eye strain: First, I enabled night mode on my Windows devices and kept the screen brightness on very low. This could affect the visual clarity in games slightly, though. For me, this comfort really outweighs any trade-off. Over time, my eyes get accustomed to the tinge on the screen, so the yellow hue is hardly noticed anymore.

This is a small improvement that adds comfort and doesn't throw in any hardware. During my last 150-hour play of Baldur's Gate 3, I watched all the cinematics and cutscenes the game had, night filter included. The yellow tint was practically invisible, and in no way impaired the experience.

3 Choosing an Ergonomic Chair

A good and ergonomic chair is a cornerstone of any desktop PC setup, especially for gamers who spend a lot of time seated. While gaming chairs boast a lot of features—like built-in pillows—compared to a well-designed and ergonomic chair, they're not as comfortable or supportive.

In such a standing position, ergonomic chairs help uphold proper posture and reduce stress on your body. It's worth investing in a great ergonomic chair if you're going for quality gaming and overall comfort.

4 Using a Recliner for Gaming

"My ergonomic chair is a lifesaver for those extended gaming marathons. When pain sets in, I turn to my recliner. Even if it means I have to sit closer to the screen, it is really comfortable. To continue playing from my recliner, I have set up a lap desk and a big TV. A PC-compatible controller offers a convenient alternative to a mouse and keyboard, so the switch can be done seamlessly."

5 Using a Controller for PC Gaming

A very important advantage of a controller is that it encourages the utility of points beyond just good performance in gaming. Say goodbye to comfort because a keyboard restricts our arms and hands to a large extent, but on the other hand, a controller is much more flexible. This makes budding and eminent pains and severe inconveniences easier to prevent with better ergonomic positions.

Personally, using a PS5 controller on my PC provides me with a great deal of relief from shoulder pain. The switch is effortless because of the common optimization in most PC games for controllers.

Being able to invest in comfort during gaming can help prevent such long-term discomfort, even for someone who does not have any chronic pain. Gamers can extend their playtime and marathon nights with amazing levels of comfort due to this factor.