Anyone who regularly suffers from headaches, or perhaps migraines, won’t need to be told how annoying, upsetting, and painful they can be. A headache can often distract your focus and attention from everything, and in the case of a migraine, it’s impossible to work when you have one.
Trying to avoid headache triggers is the best way to avoid work-related headaches, but did you know that your office seating might actually have a lot to do with it? The way you sit can determine whether or not you get a headache in some cases, and it all comes down to poor posture.
Not only does poor posture cause potential lower back pain issues, but it also increases the chances of a headache developing. This all comes down to muscle tension, which not sitting correctly actually causes. You might feel comfortable when you’re slouching, but inside your muscles and ligaments are screaming!
If you notice that your shoulders are constantly slouched downwards, in a dropped position, you have a poor posture and this could cause all manner of issues for your health and wellbeing. This also causes potential shortening of the muscles in the back over time and irritates your spine. Cue back pain, and because all your muscles and ligaments are connected, including into the neck and head, you’re also running the risk of headaches.
So, how can you avoid it? Firstly, you need to make sure that you’re not missing other triggers too. Check out this useful infographic which talks about some of the most common headache triggers. You’ll see that poor posture is one of them!
Source: www.painmanagementtrends.com/8-common-headache-triggers-infographic
Most of the triggers on that list are avoidable, but in the case of posture, you need to actually put in the effort to make sure you’re sitting and standing correctly. Using an ergonomic chair will help a lot, because this ensures that your body is supported during the time you’re using it; this is especially helpful if you’re sitting at your computer for many hours of the day. A cantilever meeting chair is also a good idea if you’re going to be sat in meetings for a few hours, as this will also give you support and comfort, avoiding slouching and poor posture in general.
The best office furniture for avoiding sitting incorrectly will also be adjustable, so that is a feature to look out for. You should also make sure that you get up and walk around on a regular basis, stretch your head and neck, roll your shoulders and generally get a little exercise throughout the day. A height adjustable desk is a great way to do that if you simply can’t take time away from your desk, because this will enable you to sit and stand whenever you feel like it, whilst working at the same time.
How you sit physically is also a big part of the deal. Make sure you sit up straight, make sure your shoulders are rolled up, back, and down, and that they are not dropped too far down, or raised so far up they’re touching your ears! You should also avoid using the telephone cradled in the crook of your neck because this is a huge red flag for headaches, neck pain and back pain.
Another furniture option is a curved desk, which allows you to sit into the crook of the curve, usually facing your computer, with plenty of space to one side of you for all your other belongings or other types of work. This also helps to avoid over-stretching.
The final piece of advice? Avoid boredom. It sounds simple, but when you’re constantly bored in your job, you’re not going to sit upright, be dynamic and get your job done, you’re going to sit incorrectly, slouch, and procrastinate. If you’re noticing constant work boredom which is playing havoc with your health, it’s time to make a few changes!
Stay connected to your work mentally, sit up straight, stretch regularly, and watch your work-related headaches disappear!