Workstation at Home? Then read this....

​Over the last couple of months, we have been talking about the impact of Covid-19, the stress, the isolation, etc. Today, I want to talk about the impact of working and studying at home can have. This is mostly driven by where and how we are using our devices. In bed, on the couch, at the kitchen table. We are not using a proper set up with ergonomics in mind!
 
We have previously talked about how to set up your work station with proper ergonomics, so check out our previous blogs and videos.
 
What I want to talk about today, is how these poor choices in posture can impact on your wellbeing. For example, it has been said for a long time that a slumped posture is a diagnostic feature of depression. (2) One recent study looked at what happens when we straighten out our posture. They found an increase in arousal, a positive affect and lower levels of anxiety. (2) Another study found that improving our posture has the potential to assist our sleep, pain threshold, and blood pressure! (1)
 
So, if you have noticed that you are feeling a bit flat, not sleeping as well, and just generally struggling to get through your work, have a look at how you have set up your work space. Make sure that it allows you to have good posture, and make sure that you take regular breaks from sitting and your screens.

​References

1. Hackford, J., Mackey, A., Broadbent, E., The effects of walking posture on affective and physiological states during stress, Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry (2018).
2. Wilkes, C., Kydd, R., Sagar, M., & Broadbent, E. (2017). Upright posture improves affect and fatigue in people with depressive symptoms. Journal of behavior therapy and experimental psychiatry, 54, 143-149.