In this article
Working from home was nothing new for me when the whole world went on lockdown. I would sit comfortably at my dining room table and work away without any problems. When I started having random aches and pains after sitting in front of the television, I knew they were related to the lockdown. My inability to walk away from the news channels had me planted in front of the television, sitting on the sofa with the laptop resting on the coffee table.
Though the country is slowly opening back up, many of us are still on lockdown and working from home. We’re left wondering how much sitting is too much and what the lockdown might be doing to our bodies.
The dangers of too much sitting
A sedentary lifestyle has long been blamed for a wide variety of ailments and issues. Sitting for a period of time can result in neck and shoulder muscle knots, neck pain, and back pain. Long-term effects of an inactive lifestyle are attributed to an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes.
Adult women who find themselves spending much of their working time sitting at a desk or, as in recent months, at the dining room table or sofa have an increase in cardiovascular disease later in life. Results of a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology conducted by the Women’s Health Initiative determined that prolonged sitting time increased cardiovascular disease risk in postmenopausal women over the age of 50.
Dr. Rahul Shah, an orthopedic spine and neck surgeon, recommends taking breaks from sitting about two to three times per hour. “If general activity is hard to maintain, a good rule of thumb is to try to walk and to get one’s heart rate between 50-70% of the target heart rate for 20-30 minutes if possible,” he told Mom.com.
He went on to advise that this is a general activity guideline and that individuals should consult their family physician first to ensure they’re able to tolerate this level of activity.
Alleviating headaches caused by stress
Spending all of that time in front of the television in my living room not only caused issues with my Achilles heel but also brought about stress headaches. There is only so much news and current events a person can handle before it begins to affect your well-being and mental health. I now make an effort to get out and walk daily with my son. I also use natural remedies to alleviate my stress headaches.
By employing self-massage techniques, getting adequate rest and fresh air, shutting off the television periodically, and practicing reflexology, I was able to alleviate to find headache relief.
Caroline Gavin-Jefferson is also a proponent of natural remedies for stress headaches. “Anytime I feel a headache coming on, especially from stress or working on my laptop for too long, I put three drops of lavender essential oil in my diffuser and let it run for four hours, she told Mom.com.
Many employees working outside the home have grown accustomed to having a water bottle nearby to stay hydrated. Even before the trend toward reusable water bottles and the resurgence of the Hydro Flask, the workplace gossip-around-the-watercooler trope was a common punchline. But there’s something to be said for staying hydrated throughout the day.
Recurrent headaches, according to randomized trial results published in the National Library of Medicine, can be minimized or even alleviated with increased water intake. We’re accustomed to filling up our water bottles at the office. To combat aches and pains during lockdown however, many of us may be forgetting to stay hydrated throughout the day.
Minimize aches and pains during lockdown
If you’re sitting in a not-so-traditional spot when working from home, you may be dealing with ergonomically related aches and pains during lockdown. One of the best ways to minimize discomfort is to ensure you’re sitting correctly.
Dr. Shah suggests ensuring your body is aligned when working at a desk or table. “Pay attention to how much you are pitched forward. When one is pitched forward, the head, by definition, is out of the plane of being over the pelvis and will work to fatigue the muscles,” he told Mom.com.
Being at home more during lockdown means snacking and grazing more often as well. After all, being within such close proximity to the pantry and feeding kids snacks endlessly between Zoom class meetings means you’re likely eating a lot more junk food as well.
Be mindful of what you’re eating and choose healthy snacks. Anti-inflammatory foods like bell pepper slices dipped in hummus and blueberries in Greek yogurt could help to alleviate pain.
Brand-new aches and pains that come about during lockdown are a nuisance. You have a lot on your plate right now. Make time to move your body, eliminate stress triggers, and eat the right foods. This could help to drastically improve how your body responds during this difficult time.
