Common Office Health Issues and How to Battle Them
Reading Time: 5 minutes If you’re an office worker, you and your colleagues are probably crying to each other about all the aches you experience daily. All of these unfortunate aches are highlighting something very serious that’s happening in today’s world: Sitting is slowly killing office workers! So, if you can’t just quit your job and dedicate your life to healthy and active living, you need to at least know about the most common office health risks and issues and how to battle them without neglecting your job.
Table of Contents
Headaches
Probably the most common affliction between office workers is a regular headache. These headaches are often triggered by poor posture when sitting, eye strain or stressed suffered at work. In order to reduce your headaches, try to take regular breaks from sitting in front of a screen and get up for a short walk and a stretch.
When you come home, try to engage in some sort of physical activity such as hitting the gym, jogging or doing yoga. Exercise is great for relieving stress and tension, as long as you maintain proper form while working out, otherwise, you might be risking getting an ache worse than a headache.
Eyestrain
Another common complaint among office workers concerns their eyes. Staring at the screen can cause eye dryness that can be very uncomfortable and even painful. In order to reduce eye strain and dryness, make sure to ensure your office is properly lit and that the brightness of your screens matches the brightness of your environment.
You also might want to start employing the 20-20-20 rule that’s great for giving your eyes a much-needed break.
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Heart issues
Unfortunately, this serious health issue is very common among office workers. According to research, people who sit more than eight hours a day are at high risk of getting some sort of heart disease.
Long working hours and less time for a healthy diet, exercise and leisure also contribute to cardiovascular issues, especially in office workers who smoke. So, after ditching tobacco, make sure to regularly get up from your desk, take healthy lunch breaks and reduce your workload so you can dedicate more time to your health.
Back pain
The sedentary nature of office jobs is killer for your spine. So, if you ever experienced back pain after a long day at the office, just know that sitting is to blame. No matter how good your posture is, after some time you’ll start to slouch and put pressure on your spine and hips. In order to prevent these unpleasant feelings in the neck, back, and hips, it’s best to move around as much as possible during your workday (take breaks, try stretches or work standing up).
Being more aware of your posture and your lifestyle can also help. Make sure to get regular exercise, especially concentrating on back and core muscles, which should relieve some of the strain on your back. Also, your office furniture should be ergonomic.
In case your back already suffered too much damage, don’t despair. Experienced surgeons like Dr. Timothy Steel can offer great results with minimal disturbance to your life and job. Thanks to their cutting-edge technology and years of practice, doctors can relieve pressure and allow you to work pain-free again.
Leg pain
This problem most commonly affects women who choose to wear high heels or other uncomfortable footwear to respect office policy or look nice. Wearing un-ergonomic shoes can affect everything from your feet to your back, neck, and shoulders—they completely change the way you naturally walk. If you can, replace your high heels with flats and you’ll notice much more comfort and less pain.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Due to the daily use of desktop computers, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is an issue that’s growing every day. Many office workers who often feel inexplicable pain near the hand and wrist really suffer from CTS. The trigger behind this syndrome is the repeated motion or constant pressure to the area during a longer time period. In some cases, CTS only causes discomfort, while on others it can lead to itching or numbing sensation due to nerve compression by the swollen ligaments. In order to avoid this uncomfortable and painful syndrome, make sure to stretch your wrists regularly and even consider getting a brace that will keep your wrist straight and remove the pressure from your nerve.
Gastric issues
If you’re often so busy and overburdened by deadlines to grab a meal so you skip it, you can develop some gastric pains due to an irregular diet. Make sure to always have a light breakfast before you leave for work and set a reminder for your lunch break.
Dehydration
When work gets too consuming and busy, many people either ignore thirst or forget to drink any water. Even if you grab a cup of coffee, it’s very much not enough to keep your hydrated. Your body needs a sufficient amount of food and water in order to stay strong and healthy and ignoring this will cause issues like moodiness, fatigue and even more serious health concerns like headaches, dizziness, and fainting. So, make sure not to neglect your feeling of thirst when you feel it. If you often fail to drink enough water, there are great apps that will keep you hydrated throughout the day.
Bacterial and virus infections
Sure, you might not find deadly bacteria and viruses in your office like Ebola, your work area is still full of different germs. If you often eat at your desk and leave crumbs behind, you can expect a lot of hungry microbes to collect at your station. However, your phone, keyboard and computer mouse are the dirtiest items, especially if you share them with other colleagues. Make sure to wash your hands regularly and use sanitary wipes on your office electronics and desk.
Now that you know the things that can befall you if you work too hard and long at the office, you’ll be able to protect your wellbeing and become a more self-caring and efficient worker. Taking care of your health will not only reduce pain but also boost your productivity at work, so it’s a win-win situation.
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