How to Stay Healthy if You Sit at a Desk All Day

An increasing number of people find themselves sitting in a chair in front of a computer, eight hours a day, five days a week. If this is the way you spend your working day, it’s going to take a toll on your health. Long hours of sitting have been linked to joint pain, poor posture, heart disease, and diabetes. Thankfully, there are several things you can do to reduce the health risks of sitting that don’t require too much time, cost or effort.

1. Fix Your Monitor

There is an optimum position for your monitor. Ideally, it should be level with the eyes. A screen that’s too low can cause neck and back aches because your head will adapt and follow by pointing down. Reducing the brightness of the screen will also help to avoid dry eye syndrome.

2. Stand Up

A straightforward remedy for sitting down too long is to stand up. Not only will it help reduce physical problems it’s also been shown to increase your sense of well-being, decrease fatigue and appetite.

3. Improve Lighting

Your eyes are put under considerable strain when working at a desk and simply adding a light could help keep your eyes healthy. Add a desk light to help prevent glare. It will also reduce the chances of suffering from computer vision syndrome which can cause eye strain, eye fatigue, dry eyes, blurred vision, headaches, and light sensitivity.

4. Improve Posture

Neck and back pain can occur if you find yourself sitting in a bad position for long periods of time; however, if the top of your screen is level with your eyes, it makes it easier for you to sit straight. Your chair should be at a height where you can sit with your shoulders pulled back and relaxed. You should also be able to sit straight with your forearms parallel to the ground, not reaching for the keyboard or leaning toward the screen.

5. Use Ergonomic Equipment

While Occupational Safety and Health Act regulations do not mandate an employer to provide ergonomic equipment such as work stations and chairs, your employer does have a duty to keep the workplace free from recognized serious hazards. Musculoskeletal disorders are the biggest cause of absence from work and account for 40% of workers’ compensation costs.

The onus is on your employer to take responsibility for the health and safety of their employees by providing a safe workplace that’s not detrimental to their health; if you want to know more about making a claim visit the-compensation-experts.co.uk.

Working a 9-5 job is tiring and stressful enough, but that doesn’t mean your health has to suffer. The five tips above should help you avoid pain and injury. Extra steps you can take to ensure you lead a healthy lifestyle include drinking more water, eating a healthy, well-balanced diet, getting regular exercise and sufficient quality sleep. Just a few small changes to your daily routine will help you stay healthy at work and in your general day-to-day life.