How to Game Comfortably

Let’s say you finally get the time to play your games after a long week of work or school. You just want to turn your gaming system on (whether it be a PC, console, or mobile device) and plop down somewhere to play all day long. Maybe you play competitive games and you want to be as comfortable as possible while beating up some noobs in-game. 

During extended gaming sessions like these, you’ll often experience fatigue in your arms, fingers, back, and eyes. If you’re playing competitively, that fatigue can make you lose your edge while playing. It’s not just a bad experience, it’s also unhealthy to put that much strain on your eyes and muscles for long periods of time.

Today I’m going to change all that with some tips and items that’ll make your gaming sessions much more comfortable. Remember: a comfortable gamer is also a healthy gamer!

Must-Have Items for Everyone

Blue Light Blocking Glasses

I know most people think that blue light filtering products are probably just snake oil (especially after the recent online controversies with a famous streamer & RFLCT). While UV light is more powerful and can cause more damage, it’s mainly a problem when you’re exposed to actual sunlight, something gamers don’t get much of.

Blue light, on the other hand, while tamer, can have negative effects with chronic exposure. Research shows that blue light exposure can lead to sleep problems. Since most screens, including computers, TVs, and mobile devices, emit blue light, gamers might get hours of blue light exposure every day — especially if that gamer also spends a lot of time behind a computer for work, too.

So, you might only need to wear them during longer gaming sessions, but I recommend everyone get a good pair of blue light blocking glasses like these:

Water Bottle

It’s always a pain to get up for a glass of water while you’re in the middle of gaming. So, I always recommend investing in a good bottle like this one that not only holds a large volume but is also insulated to keep your drink hot or cold for the entire gaming session. 

More Comfortable Controllers

Whether you’re gaming with a mouse and keyboard on PC, the Stock Joycons on a Nintendo Switch, or PS4 controllers, comfort is not one of the strong points of any of these. A comfortable controller is one that’s large and that you can grab without your fingers getting caught up in weird positions. It should also have ergonomic stick placement.

The best controllers when it comes to comfort are the modern Xbox Controllers. If you’re gaming on a PC, you can just grab an Xbox controller or a PC-specific Xbox controller and plug it straight into your PC and everything will work right away.

For the Nintendo Switch, there’s the Hori Split Pad Pro or the Switch Pro Controller which are more comfortable. You can also just use a grip case which we’ll talk more about later.

As for the PS4, I recommend the Nacon Asymmetric Controller.

If you’re looking for a PS5 or Xbox controller alternatives, just stick with the stock ones since those are great!

Must-Have Items to Game Comfortably on PC

Oh man, where do I start? There are so many ways to make your PC gaming experience comfortable. But let’s start with the keyboard and mouse. 

Keyboard

Gaming on a keyboard is naturally uncomfortable. To use the WASD keys, you’ve got to keep your fingers in a cramped position. To make things a little more comfortable, I suggest that you use a 65% or TKL sized mechanical keyboard so that your hands are not as far apart from each other. 

For even more comfort, get that keyboard with some linear switches instead of clicky or tactile switches which will bug you after prolonged use.

The best pre-built keyboard I can recommend for gaming comfort is the Keychron K6. But, of course, you can always build a custom keyboard. I’ve written several articles about mechanical keyboards, including one on how to build keyboards.

Mouse

Finding a comfortable upgrade for the mouse is a bit tricky. Gaming performance and comfort don’t go well in the world of gaming mouse design.

However, for those who want to play safe, I’d recommend the Logitech G305, it’s decently sized so that it’s comfortable, and it doesn’t compromise the tracking speed for comfort. 

Wrist Rest

If you use a mechanical keyboard, then a wrist rest for your keyboard is a must-have. Mechanical keyboards are often taller than your conventional laptop or membrane keyboard, so to stay comfortable, you might need something to elevate and rest your wrist on.

Footrest

Before we talk about upgrading your chair or desk, I want you to consider a footrest. Compared to a new table or chair, a footrest is way cheaper, and it might be just the thing you need to make your setup much more comfortable.

Anything you can put your feet on will do the trick, but, if you want a dedicated footrest, here is one of the best ones you can get:

If You Want To Take Comfort To Another Level

If you want maximum comfort while playing PC games, you might want to upgrade your current desk and chair setup. These comfort upgrades are not just for gaming, either. They’re also great for work.

Chair

I can’t stress this enough: If you want pure comfort, DON’T get a gaming chair! Those things are utterly uncomfortable. They’re made of leather that doesn’t breathe. The back support is often hard, and the sitting position is not great for your posture. 

Now, instead of a gaming chair, just get an ergonomic chair, like this generic chair. These ergonomic chairs have mesh backrests and cushions that breathe so you stay cool for longer. It also has an adjustable headrest, lumbar support, and the backrest has a curve that follows your spine’s curvature.

I know this might be a bit expensive for most people, and if you’re one of them, a generic office chair is fine, as long as it has a mesh backrest.

Desk

If you have some money to burn, and you want the best comfort while playing on PC, an adjustable desk is essential. Some adjustable desks are electric while others use a manual crank. I generally recommend a cranked one like the one pictured below, since they’re generally cheaper.

Plus, you probably won’t actually be changing the position that much throughout the day once you get it into the most comfortable position for you. So the convenience of an electric-powered desk is not really worth the extra cost, in my opinion. But, if you still want a powered one, be my guest and click this link.

Must-Have Items to Comfortably on Handheld Devices

Grip Cases

I mentioned grip cases earlier as a great alternative controller for the Nintendo Switch or a phone if you don’t want to use or buy a separate controller. The best one I can recommend in general is the Satisfye grip case here: 

This grip case is sort of famous since it sponsors several gaming YouTubers, but, sponsored or not, it’s still one of the best. It has asymmetrical grips to provide better comfort since the Switch also has asymmetrical button placement. The case also has some legs near the middle so that it can make your Switch stand when you’re not using it. 

Granted, you can’t dock your Switch when you have the case on it. However, removing and installing the case is as simple as sliding the Switch in and out. Just know that the Satisfye grip case requires a tight fit so make sure to get one that supports your Switch model. They already have one for the Regular Switch and Switch Lite, and they’re also releasing one for the Switch OLED pretty soon!

Controller Mounts

 If you still want to use an Xbox controller with your phone or a Switch Pro Controller for your Switch, then you can use phone mounts that attach to your controller and hold the device you’re using for you.

This one above is a mount for Xbox One controllers, and you can attach it to pretty much any phone. The one below is a mount for a Switch Pro controller and it’s also specially made so that it can hold the Regular Switch Tablet while also utilizing the Joycon Rails making the mount more secure. 

Tips for Healthy & Comfortable Gaming Sessions

Here are some extra tips that you can easily execute with your setup without buying anything else. 

Ergonomics

When we talk about comfort, you’ll hear ergonomics a lot. It’s essentially the study of how to design equipment and workspaces in a way that doesn’t cause muscle damage, pain, or discomfort.

If you’re a PC gamer, everything on your desk (and the desk itself) can be designed with ergonomics in mind: the position of your mouse, the size of your keyboard, the distance between you and your monitor, among other things.

I could write an entire article about this, but instead, I recommend that you watch this short video on how to set up your desk and chair with ergonomics in mind:

Remember to Be Human

More often than not, we get lost in playing our games whether we’re playing chill or competitive sessions, and we forget that we’re human. 

First of all, we’re not designed to sit for more than an hour at a time. It’s recommended that we stand up and move around for 15 minutes for every hour of sitting. Set a timer to remind yourself to get up to pace around your room, go for a bathroom break, or do some squats. You can also use those 15 minutes to give your eyes a break from the blue light on your screen.

Second, we need sustenance! You might be thinking, “I won’t forget to eat.” But believe me, it’s very easy to forget how much time has passed since your last meal if you’re playing a great game. Keep healthy snacks nearby or use one of those 15-minute breaks to make a sandwich.

Don’t forget to hydrate either! No, energy drinks and soda don’t count. You don’t have to give up the gamer fuel but try to include at least two liters of plain water in there, too.

Thanks for reading until the end! If you want to support A Little Bit Human and get items for your comfy gaming setup, you can click the affiliate links with each item we mentioned! And remember, as Lilypichu always says, Stay Comfy!