Many of us now work from home due to coronavirus lockdown, and they often sit in bed with their laptops for hours, even if that makes us complain of neck and back pain. Not to mention that we are sometimes distracted by the urge to lie down from time to time, affecting productivity.
Research shows that working in bed can negatively affect your health. Most of us bend over at work, which affects our spine.
Dr Raghavendra KS, consultant, joint replacement and spine surgeon, Fortis Hospital, Kalyan & Mulund, told in an interview with Indian Express, “We do not encourage sitting on the bed while working on your laptop or reading a book. There is no proper support when you are working from the bed. You tend to bend low while working, which is bad for the spine. Initially, one might develop muscle spasm, back pain or leg pain but sitting in the position constantly might end up giving you slipped disc problem.”
Difficulty sleeping
Working in bed often blurs the line between work and sleep. Psychologist Charlotte Armitage suggested in an interview with metro.co.uk that sitting in bed at work can also affect you because of how the brain associates location with specific behaviors of sleep quality because it is now difficult to switch between work and sleep.
Ideally, you should designate a specific work location in your house, preferably a desk. On the other hand, the bed should be reserved for sleep.
In addition, sleep difficulties are common in patients with neck and shoulder pain. Dr. Raghavendra said the muscles have no chance to relax and cause contractures, making it difficult to sleep.
Things to remember if you are working from your bed
If you absolutely need to sit in bed at work, make sure you sit upright and tell your doctor.
He said, “Take proper back support. The laptop should be kept elevated such that it is parallel to your head so that you do not bend your neck. Ideally, the head, neck and spine should be a straight line. Try to keep your legs straight or bend the knees only slightly. But do not sit in the same posture for too long. Keep altering your posture; get up from time to time, walk for five minutes and stretch your body before resuming work. Light workout for 30 minutes in the morning and evening is also recommended.”
Read: Here are five ways to engage your children at home effectively while Covid-19 lockdown
