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
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.
