Working while hunched over in bed can ruin your body.

Many people work while lying face down or crouching on the floor. Especially in winter, it's not uncommon to see people working or studying on their beds, covered with blankets. While most companies have transitioned to working from home since the COVID-19 pandemic ended, many companies, including Naver, still maintain this arrangement. Furthermore, many employees are catching up on work they couldn't finish at work from home.

For many young people, working from home means "working from bed." Instead of getting dressed and commuting to the office, they turn on their computer and work from bed. Turning your bed into an office can lead to a variety of psychological and physical health problems. The habit of working or studying while squatting or lying face down on the soft bed is ergonomically detrimental to your health. It can strain your neck, back, and hips, leading to a variety of symptoms ranging from simple headaches to lower back stiffness, arthritis, and pain in the cervical spine, ligaments, and muscles.

 

Dr. Susan Holback, an ergonomics and wellness specialist at the Mayo Clinic in the United States, said, "Younger people can fall victim to the bad habit of working from bed." She told the BBC, "It varies from person to person, but it may be too late to reverse ergonomic problems as you age. It's important to address these bad habits quickly." She cautioned, "Sit up straight in your chair and maintain a 'neutral posture.' Aim for a posture that doesn't put stress on any specific part of your body."

Also, avoid typing while prone, as this can strain your neck and elbows. If possible, separate the display and keyboard, and position the display above eye level. You can also consider using an ironing board as a makeshift standing desk. However, a more comfortable position is recommended. Dr. Holbeck advises, "For those who frequently work from home for extended periods, it's a good idea to invest in a quality workstation."

 

Working in bed frequently isn't just bad for your body. It can also negatively impact your productivity and sleep habits. Rachel Salas, an associate professor of neurology and sleep medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, says, "Beds are best used for the three Ss: sleeping, sex, and being sick." If you watch TV in bed, play video games, or work or study without sleeping, your brain learns that you can do these things in bed. This association leads to "conditioned behavior," which is what causes insomnia.

 

Putting on pajamas at night signals to your body that it's time to begin sleep. This is a concept known as "sleep hygiene." Doomscrolling, or compulsively checking emails or bad news in bed, is particularly detrimental to sleep hygiene. Looking at your laptop, phone, or other work-related screens in bed every day prevents your brain and body from associating sleep with rest. This explains the global surge in insomnia and sleep disorders amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

"If you work from home and constantly work in bed, your brain will think it's time to work, even when you're trying to relax and sleep," explains Associate Professor Salas. If this continues for a long time, it can lead to insomnia or circadian rhythm disturbances. The body's natural clock, which tells you when to sleep, becomes significantly disrupted. This can also worsen non-sleep-related symptoms, such as restless leg syndrome. Sleep disturbances can reduce productivity, creativity, and concentration at work.

 

The most serious problem is that these symptoms may appear in some workers and not in others. This may lead some to believe that working from bed is not a problem. "Younger people may not feel the immediate effects on their bodies and brains, but as they age, the aftereffects will appear, so we need to pay attention," emphasized Associate Professor Salas.

 

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Squatting on the bed,

There are quite a few people working or studying.

This habit should be abandoned as it is bad for your health in many ways.

 

In bed, I just sleep

Just thinking about it makes my body posture feel different

It's unnatural and it's damaging to the body.

I think it will be detailed.