Working from bed is something that many people might do when they are tired or bored but they still need to finish a report or a task. Whether you have always worked from home or it’s new to you, this habit could have negative effects on your health if you’re not careful. The Cleveland Clinic recently asked a chiropractor how using a bed as a desk could affect one’s health.
“I wouldn’t recommend [working in bed] and I would try to avoid it at all costs because there’s going to be a lot of negative consequences that come with it,” Andrew Bang, DC, said in the article. Many people who do work in bed may feel it helps them feel at ease as they carry out their tasks. Others work in bed because they don’t have a dedicated home workspace and their bed is their makeshift office. Whichever the case, experts say that the practice of working from bed could have an impact on posture and even disrupt sleep cycles.
When people work in bed, they tend to twist and strain to find a position that allows them to work and relax at the same time. This isn’t a good idea since some positions could lead to aches and pains in the long run. And working from bed runs against good sleep advice, particularly if you have trouble sleeping in the first place. Harvard Healthy Sleep says that when people regularly work from bed, their body could start associating the bed with work, confusing sleep mode with work mode, making it harder to sleep well or follow a good sleeping pattern.
Bang said that if people must work from their bed, they need to ensure that their various body parts can move freely and be in the most advantageous position. ”Proper ergonomics of your workspace should always have your spine in as neutral position as possible. Your setup should always make sure your head, arms and back are in the right neutral position and you should incorporate movement throughout your day,” Bang explained. He added that the best position for working in bed is to be on your back without leaning against the headboard or wall. And if you use a tablet instead of a laptop, you should hold the device over your head as your elbows rest on either side. He discourges using a pillow because it can cause the neck muslces to flex. Finally, just as you should get up and move from a sitting position after working for a while, try rolling to your side and stretching every 45 to 60 minutes while working from bed.
