It’s standard advice for people whose jobs involve working at a computer to adjust their chairs, position their monitors, and organise their desks to achieve optimum ergonomic ease and comfort. Indeed, ergonomics has become an essential consideration in attaining a healthy work environment for today’s white-collar workers.
According to studies, white-collar workers spend almost as much time watching television as they are working. This entails that even when you’re just binge-watching your favourite drama series on your living room couch, it’s still important to observe proper ergonomics.
To make sure you don’t hurt your back while watching television after a long tiring day at work, here are some of the most effective things you can do to correct your binge-watch posture.
Avoid bad posture
Bad posture can put stress on your joints and cause soreness. According to the experts, you should always position yourself correctly, so you don’t have to rotate your neck or back to see your television screen. When you’re always incorrectly sitting or lying down while watching television, you may develop all sorts of body pains in the long run.
Observing good posture and having sufficient body support is the key to avoiding neck and back pain, especially if you always binge-watching your favourite K-drama series for hours on end. As much as possible, push yourself back into your couch so it supports your trunk adequately. If you’re watching in your bed, the same principle applies – use your pillows to give your back and neck plenty of support. Make sure your lower spine is well-supported, too.
Find the most suitable position
As mentioned, the way you lie on your couch or bed while consuming significant amounts of Netflix is the key to preventing neck and back pain. Whenever you’re binge-watching television series or movies, the essential thing that you should note is never to watch while lying. You tend to lift your head to view the screen when you’re lying down, creating unnecessary contractions.
Rather than lying down, the ideal position for watching television is to sit up with your knees perpendicular to the ground and your back supported with your sofa or bed headboard. Unnecessary contractions strain your muscles, which in turn can lead to neck and back pain. Moreover, the television’s or computer’s position is crucial since you don’t have to rotate your back or neck to view the screen. As much as possible, position your television directly in front of you, around mid-vision height.
Move around and take sufficient breaks
If you do office desk work, you’ve probably already heard this piece of advice a couple of times: Get up and move around every 15 to 30 minutes. A significant number of research studies have shown that following this advice is optimal for health. According to these studies, sitting uninterruptedly for extended periods may be linked to an overall increased risk of death. To minimise such risk, one should get up and move around from time to time.
This classic piece of advice doesn’t only apply to those sitting at their desk and working for long hours. It’s also applicable to those just lounging at home and watching Netflix overnight. To avoid developing body pains associated with sitting for extended hours without interruption, make sure to move around every half an hour or so whenever you’re binge-watching something. Alternatively, consider investing in an electric standing desk or ergonomic mesh office chair. Here are some features to look for in a chair.
Do some stretching
Alongside moving around, it is also beneficial to incorporate some stretching during your binge-watching session, especially when you start noticing that your neck and back are beginning to sore. Generally, it’s recommended to stretch your body in the opposite direction of how you’d been positioned while watching the television.
Suppose you feel a bit of strain in your neck from looking in one direction for an extended period. In that case, the best thing you can do is try moving your head and neck around in all directions. For instance, if you slump or round your shoulders, you should stand up while clasping your hands behind your back and straighten your elbows. Try to tilt your sternum up and then stretch from such a position. This can help ease the stress and pressure across your upper torso.
Upgrade your furniture
Suppose you want to continue binge-watching your favourite television series without damaging your neck and back. In that case, it’s essential to select the right ergonomic furniture such as a height adjustable table. By investing in a good ergo chair and table, you can already reduce your body pains by a significant percentage without having to sacrifice your favourite leisure-time activities.
When you purchase these ergonomic-friendly pieces of furniture, you’d no longer have to worry about straining your neck and back when binge-watching the television until dawn.
Conclusion
The rules on ergonomics aren’t limited to your posture when working in front of a computer. Even when you’re just relaxing and watching your favourite series on Netflix, it’s still necessary to obverse proper ergonomics to ensure you don’t develop body pains.
By practising good posture, taking breaks, changing your positions, stretching, and choosing the right bed or couch, you can enjoy your binge-watch time better without having to worry about hurting your back (or dropping your snacks).
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