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Most of us understand the importance of a practical desk setup and maintaining good posture when in the office, but what about when working from home? With more people working from home than ever before, Chiropractor Dr. Brodie Marriott believes now is the time to increase our understanding around how posture can directly impact our nervous system and overall health. Here’s what Brodie thinks we should all bear in mind while working from home:
Posture impacts our brain power
Does this sound familiar? It’s the afternoon and you’ve been at your desk for several hours throughout the day, feeling a lack of focus as well as decreased energy, low concentration and brain fog. Well, it’s likely that the way you’re sitting is playing into this.
Posture can have a major impact on our mood and how we feel. When you have good spinal alignment, your brain communicates better with your body. This is due to the activation of your prefrontal cortex. Located in the frontal lobe of your brain, the prefrontal cortex controls your cortical thinking, and is responsible for concentration and emotions.
Your head is very heavy, roughly the same weight as a bowling ball. When you’re sitting upright with the correct posture, the weight of your head can be distributed evenly through the joints in your neck – meaning there is no strain on the musculature, allowing the frontal lobe to fire properly. However, when you slump at your desk and your head tilts forward, a lot of strain is put through the joints and muscles. As a result, the frontal lobe becomes deactivated, which can result in decreased mood, low energy and a lack of concentration.
Many employers and office space providers like Fora are wise to the impact of posture on work productivity and are doing their bit to help – from desk assessments to standing desks, there has been a rise in the positive steps taken to ensure good posture for workers. However, this is a difficult concept to support when working from home.
Using laptops and phones, sitting at the dining table, or slumping on the sofa can all promote poor posture. It’s common to find your mood and energy levels lower than usual when working in this way for the reasons mentioned above.
Making just small changes to your home setup can make a big difference to your mental and physical wellbeing. Chiropractors are experts in improving spinal alignment and nervous system function. If you need any help improving your posture, exercises to support your spinal stability or some advice about your work from home setup, Chiropractic by Hand are offering special online appointments which can be booked online here. If you’re a Fora Resident, check your newsletter for our special price on their home appointments.
