We all know that sitting in front of a computer all day isn’t healthy. But today’s lifestyle seats us in front of a computer seemingly 24/7. It’s not uncommon to spend all day at work in front of a computer monitor and then to come home and spend leisure time on the computer. So here are 5 tips of what can you can do to maintain a healthy body and lifestyle despite living in the computer era.

1. Support Your Back And Spine With Good Posture

Ensure you have a chair that can support your spine and back properly. How are you sitting right now? Are you hunched over? Or are you slouching back in the chair? Take a moment to sit up straight and re-align your posture. If this is difficult in the chair you are in, then find one that is more supportive of a good posture.

In an office environment it may seem uncomfortable to ask your manager for a new chair. But they are not the ones who are going to be stuck with back problems – you are. Politely mention that your chair isn’t giving you the proper support and discuss some alternatives with them.

Keeping good posture at the computer isn’t easy. But try and be conscious of how you are sitting and if you are starting to hunch or slouch, then sit up and correct your posture. As you pay attention to it, you’ll find it becomes a habit to sit properly.

2. Make Sure Your Monitor Is At Eye Level

One of the contributors to poor posture and numerous other health problems with computers stems from incorrect positioning of the monitor. Ideally when you are sitting with correct posture and looking straight ahead, the monitor should be sitting in your line of sight.

The most common issue is for monitors to be too low so you are constantly straining your neck to look down. Even though it may be a slight angle, it is an unnatural position for the body. This commonly leads to headaches, tension in the neck, pain at the base of the skull and other postural issues.

Getting an adjustable stand for your monitor can easily solve this problem. The cheaper option is to stack a few copies of the yellow pages underneath to make it higher.

In some cases a monitor can also be too high. This usually stems from a chair being too low. Make the necessary changes so you can sit comfortably and view the computer screen.

3. Don’t Bury Your Nose In The Screen

Your eyes can become significantly strained by being too close to the screen. Ideally you will have at least 2 feet (60cm) between your eyes and the monitor. This has become easier with the advent of the flat screen monitor. Older monitors can take up an entire desk area, bringing the screen within a few inches of your nose. It’s not healthy for your eyes, so either sit back further or invest in a flat screen monitor which can be placed further away.

4. Take Regular Breaks

For overall health and well-being you should take a break from the computer for a few minutes at least every hour. Even if it’s just a visit to the bathroom or to go to the photocopy machine it is worthwhile. Your eyes will get a break, your circulation will improve my moving around and you can become physically reinvigorated by getting away from the screen.

If you have a chance to take a lunch break at work, consider going outside for a walk or eating in the kitchen. Sitting at the computer eating your lunch is not giving your body the break it needs.

5. Do Some Basic Office Exercises

You probably won’t want to break out the Yoga mat (although you may if you don’t have glass windows into your office!). There are some simple exercises you can do to keep your muscles relaxed and your body feeling great.

Rolling Your Shoulders – Poor posture is the most common health issue from sitting at a computer. By moving your shoulders backwards and forwards and up and down you’ll loosen up and keep the blood flowing in those areas. This can be done sitting or standing.

Massage Your Shoulders – Although it’s not quite as fun as having someone else massage you, in an office environment massaging yourself is probably all you’ll get. Just some light one handed massages are effective in relieving stress and tension.

Ankles and Feet – Take a few minutes to stretch your legs out and move your ankles and feet around. This is a really easy one to do whilst at your desk.

Fingers – Your hands and fingers are often forgotten, but they do the majority of the work in typing and clicking all day. Stop the repetitive motions and move them around, stretch and flex them and generally just give them a break!

Summary

Just by following these basic steps that take just several minutes per day, you’ll be looking after your body and start feeling healthier.