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Screen time and the physical side of scalping

Scalping is a physical activity in a sense: eyes locked on rapidly changing numbers, hands ready to click, posture rigid. After a few hours, strain accumulates in the eyes, neck, and shoulders, and concentration slips.

The effects are real but often ignored. Dry eyes, headaches, and tension reduce attention and increase mistakes. A trader who is physically uncomfortable becomes impatient and accepts worse setups to end the session.

Simple adjustments help. Adjust screen height so the eyes are level with the top of the display. Use proper lighting and reduce glare. Take short breaks every 30 to 45 minutes, looking at something distant for a minute. Drink water and eat regular meals.

Consider the schedule too. Intense sessions in the London open or New York open are demanding. Splitting activity into two shorter blocks with a break in between can improve consistency.

Treat the body as part of the equipment.

What changes to the workspace or schedule made the biggest difference to focus?

The biggest change for me was moving the monitor up. I had it sitting low on the desk and after a long London session my neck was stiff and I would get headaches by early afternoon. Raising the screen so the top edge was at eye level took one cardboard box and ten seconds, and the headaches mostly stopped within a week.

The second thing was breaks on a timer. I used to tell myself I would take one after the next trade, and the next trade never ended. Now I set a repeating alarm for forty minutes, and when it goes off I stand up, look out of the window, and drink a glass of water. On days I skip it, my trade log shows more impulsive entries in the last hour.

Schedule matters as well. I split my day into a morning block and a shorter evening block with a proper lunch between them, instead of sitting six hours straight. My focus in the second block is better, and I take fewer low-quality setups just to finish the session.