3 Tips to Support Spinal Health While Working from Home
Whether you’re experiencing back pain, neck pain, headaches or simply interested in achieving optimal performance and vitality, there are many reasons and ways to support your spinal health at home.
While routine examinations and adjustments by an experienced chiropractor are an essential part of a comprehensive health and wellness-based lifestyle, there are several ways to support your spinal health in-between visits which can enhance and supplement the effects of your chiropractic care. By setting aside time each day to support your spinal health, you may find that the positive effects of your chiropractic adjustments and spine rehab last longer, overall function and energy improve, and you discover a reduction in back pain and tension.
Here are 3 simple recommendations to begin implementing regularly which will complement and enhance your regular chiropractic and spine care:
1. Engage in Prolonged Stretches
Most of us have heard that it’s important to begin workouts (or even the day) with a series of stretches to “warm the muscles,” prepare the body for activity, and prevent injury. Unfortunately, what often goes overlooked is the ideal duration of time for which we should be stretching in each posture and position in our routine.
Contrary to the 5 – 10 seconds that most of us spend engaged in a single stretch, studies show that we should actually be holding our stretches for longer—up to 60 seconds, in some cases.
Take the time to determine what the “sweet spot” is for your stretches, and practice stretching regularly. By making a habit of stretching your muscles often and deeply, you may experience a release of tension in your body, a strengthening of the muscles and tendons that support your skeletal structure, and a boost to your body’s circulation.
2. Create an Optimal Ergonomic Workspace
Working from home has drastically increased in the past two years, but most people haven’t had an opportunity to optimize their workspace into providing ideal support for their posture and body mechanics.
There are many ergonomic chairs, desks, and other workplace products available online to help support appropriate ergonomics. In addition to supplying your space with comfortable tools and furniture, take the time to investigate the appropriate height for your computer, keyboard, and desk. Small changes can make a world of difference to your comfort and body function, making you more efficient, comfortable, and productive in your workspace.
3. Enhance Your Sleep Posture
One of the most important health and vitality boosting habits we can engage in is sleep. A close second to making the time for sleep is ensuring optimal sleep posture!
Ensure that your sleeping surface is comfortably supporting your back and not contributing to any pain or discomfort during the day (or night). Consider investing in a pillow that cradles your head appropriately, which will likely be different depending on whether you are a side sleeper or a back sleeper.
When your sleeping space is equipped with an ideal surface and headrest, your body will be able to relax into its ideal posture, providing not only a high sleep quality, but enhanced alignment for your spinal structure, too.
Developing optimal spinal health is a life-long process that requires regular time and attention. It can be difficult to know where to start, particularly if you have experienced an injury or have dealt with back-pain for any length of time. Thankfully, experts on spinal health like chiropractor Dr. Justin Anderson of Boise, ID are standing by, eager to lend insight and assistance in helping you reach all of your spinal health goals.
A well taken-care of spine can enliven your daily experience, providing you with energy, clarity, and an increase in youth and vitality. If you’re interested in taking a giant leap toward rejuvenating your spine, book an appointment with Optimal Spine & Posture today.
If you are located near Boise, ID, Schedule an appointment with Optimal Spine & Posture right now!
