Tips to feel better if you spend all day at your desk

Do you spend all day at a desk? Are you experiencing upper back, neck pain, headaches, or low back pain? Let’s talk about why you might be experiencing this and some ways to help prevent it.

What are some reasons that you may be having pain at or after work? The first thing to consider is what is your desk position like. Are you having to look down at your computer or does your chair bother your low back? If so, it might be important to look at your desk ergonomics. Make sure that your elbows, hips and knees are at 90 degrees. Your low back might feel better if your knees are slightly higher than your hips. Keep in mind this may not feel right for all, but play around with the position of your chair. Do you have to sit straight up? Absolutely not, not many will feel comfortable in that position. Feet should be flat on the floor, if they are not, consider putting a step by your feet to step on. It can put less pressure on your hips and low back by getting a small raiser for your feet. Your eyes should be should be fixed straight forward and not tilting your head down to look at your screen. If you notice you are looking down at your computer, consider raising up your computer. Either with an extender that some monitors have or using a box, shelf, anything that will raise your monitors up to eye level.

Another thing to consider that could be playing a role in how you are feeling at work would be stress level. Do you constantly feel like you are clenching your jaw or shrugging your shoulders? If you are, work on reducing the stress at work and outside. This would be where you could consider meditation, jaw exercises, breathing techniques to reduce the tension in your body. There are a number of great resources out there aimed at reducing stress. Diaphraphmatic breathing is one of my favorite ways to reduce stress. By taking a deep, belly breathe in, you are able to activate your parasympathetic system (“rest, digest and protect”) to calm your body down. This is also a great technique to do at night if you are having a hard time falling asleep. Easiest way is to put one hand on your chest, the other on your belly. When you take a breathe in, you should feel the hand on your belly move. Breathe like that 8-10 times and see how you feel.

All of us have heard “sitting all day is the new smoking”, could it be? Who knows, but we are seeing an increase in chronic conditions due to being sedentary for long periods throughout the day. It is important to take breaks throughout the day. Make sure you are getting up from your desk either to walk to get water, talking to your coworker in person rather than on a chat or change positions to a standing desk. It has been recommended to change position or move every 30-60 minutes. It can be something quick, but just changing position can improve your body posture.

Last thing to consider is your water consumption. I know that when I get busy, my water intake goes DOWN and the coffee intake goes UP. Dehydration can present with headaches, anxiety, sleep disturbance, and fatigue. By increasing your hydration, you could sleep better and feel better. Water alone may not hydrate especially if you use a purification system, by adding a pinch of Himalayan sea salt, you get the nutrients that usually get stripped from the water. Our bodies are made up of 70% of water (yes, you read that correctly), if you are not giving your body the nutrients it needs, you will notice it through pain, discomfort and illness.

Try these tips at work to see how you feel at work.

If you want to see how chiropractic care can benefit you, let us know if we can help you!