Neck and lower back pain, weak bones and depression are just a few of the numerous detrimental side effects caused by sitting for too long. If that doesn’t catch your attention, how about the fact that the average American sits for eight hours a day? Known as the “sitting disease”, sedentary lifestyles can have long-term impacts on our bodies and unfortunately in this time and age, sitting in front of a computer is more common than ever before. Being at a desk myself for 6+ hours, I know the struggle and the urge sometimes you have to just get up and move. Wondering how you can make small but impactful changes to your lifestyle, while still getting your work done? Check these tips out.
- Fill up your water bottle halfway – This is an easy method to create an excuse for yourself to get up and move. Remember, health experts recommend drinking between 9-13 glasses of water each day, so stay hydrated and get moving.
- Raise your computer screen – To prevent neck pain, position your computer screen so that the middle of the screen is at the same level as your chin. This will instantly improve your posture and reduce the need to look down for long periods of time. Prolonged exposure to the artificial light from your monitor could also lead to other health problems too which might have an effect on your sleep pattern and mental health. To combat this, you may want to invest in glasses designed to reduce the effects of the glare from your screen – see this to learn more about this product.
- Use a separate keyboard – Lower back pain is one of the most common side effects felt by those sitting at a desk all day. If you’re using a laptop, try using a keyboard that’s detached from your computer. Place the keyboard in front of you where your elbows are close to your upper body and hands can be stretched out front.
- Try CBD Products – Many people might not know this, but CBD is fast becoming a thing that people are using to help them with any pain that they might have. When you have an office job, you will be sat at a desk for most of the day, and this doesn’t help you with your pain. This is why people will use CBD as it can help alleviate any problems. If you would like more information on how CBD can help you then why not check out the health benefits of cbd here, as this could be the answer to finally relieving the pains that you are experiencing.
- Don’t use Skype – Yes, Skype is extremely helpful for communicating internally with peers. However, the simple act of getting up and asking your colleagues in person the questions instead of typing them out is a lot healthier. You get face-to-face interaction and get to stretch out for a bit. This also releases oxytocin, promoting feelings of trust and happiness.
- Invest in a standing desk – If you haven’t been to our office, you haven’t seen our anti-chair desks. Several of our team members are lucky enough to have these standing desks, which are a great way to prevent slouching and boost energy levels lost by sitting down.
If that’s not enough, I have one last tip I am a huge advocate of. Drumroll please… exercise after work! They say we should dedicate at least 30 minutes to exercise. Think about it – it’s really not that much time out of your day. Change into your workout clothes in the office and commit to doing everything you can to create a better lifestyle for yourself after work hours. If you work from home and can’t leave once 5:30 pm hits, bring out the dumbbells and yoga mat to create your own at-home gym. Trust me – your eighty-year-old self will thank you in the future.
