Ergonomics is the art of comfort. It is a discipline dedicated to designing appropriate conditions for people's comfort, whether at home, at work, and/or in their health.
Ergonomics is your body's best ally, something you can apply in a variety of ways: posture, home office, rest, travel, leisure...
Below, we share 27 ergonomic habits that will elevate your quality of life, from A to Z. Your body will thank you for it.
Simple habits to change your quality of life
A. Avoid sleeping on your stomach
It's one of the worst sleeping positions because it's particularly hard on your back, due to the strain it has to endure throughout the night. While sleeping on your back is the best position, it can be harmful to people who suffer from sleep apnea or are overweight, as they'll snore more than usual and won't get a good night's sleep.
The most popular position is the side sleep position. While it's not the best for the spine and cervical vertebrae, sleeping with your legs semi-curled (almost like a fetal position) can be a solution, as this way you won't be straining your vertebrae. Click here to learn about other causes that could be affecting your sleep .
B. Choose an ergonomic pillow for deeper sleep
Did you know that sleep goes through different stages? In the deepest stage, known as REM or rapid eye movement, the brain and body are energized. That's why pillows and mattresses have been specially designed with ergonomics in mind.
The goal of these devices is to reach REM sleep in less time, allowing for full and complete rest for a busy day. Click here to discover more benefits of choosing an ergonomic lifestyle .
C. Stand up every 30 minutes
By not using proper posture, you put pressure on the wrong areas and can cause injuries. If your commute allows, you can opt for cycling or even walking to avoid spending too much time sitting in the car.
A study published in the Australian Journal of Transport Geography showed that those who do this tend to be happier and, therefore, more productive. Did you know that sitting for too long could cause hemorrhoids? Click here to learn more .
D. Use a back cushion
Keep the following considerations in mind when purchasing it: easy to carry, useful for correcting posture, easy to wash, offers stability and support, easy to install (adapts to any type of chair), and relieves fatigue in the lower back. Here are some recommendations .
E. Elevate your legs for 20 minutes a day
This habit can bring a host of benefits to anyone and in various areas of life. Keeping your legs elevated helps blood flow more strongly to the heart and, from there, to all the extremities of the body. Twenty minutes a day makes all the difference. Learn all the benefits here .
F. Wear comfortable clothing that is loosely fitted.
This way, you can help prevent venous return, which occurs when deoxygenated blood returns to the heart. However, sometimes the heart can't pump enough for adequate venous return, especially when it comes from parts of the body far from the heart, such as the legs. Consuming less salt and more water, as well as eating fruits and vegetables rich in fiber, can also help. We'll tell you more ways to prevent venous return .
G. Perform squatting bowel movements
Did you know that you've been bowel movements the wrong way your whole life? It turns out that for generations, we've been using a posture that could be detrimental to our health. That's right! The natural posture consists of placing your legs at a 30-degree angle to your torso.
The body has a mechanism that can contain waste when we're standing or sitting. It's called the puborectalis muscle. When we're sitting, this muscle would be fulfilling its function of blocking the exit. Therefore, when defecating while sitting, such as when using the toilet, the person would be straining their body. We'll tell you what historical event caused humans to begin defecating incorrectly .
H. Turn to alternative therapies to align your spine
Techniques such as osteopathy, chiropractic, and acupuncture are options available to people to achieve well-being. This becomes even more important when we consider that lower back pain is the leading cause of living with a disability worldwide. In addition to physical therapy, there are other alternatives to help people with lower back pain achieve a better quality of life. Discover five alternative therapies .
I. Walk during lectures instead of sitting down
Standing is something you could take advantage of during a conference, as you could even move around the room to explain a topic, which would also allow you to better manage the group and get more full attention from your listeners.
Many people spend several hours sitting in an office, driving, doing manual labor, or working from home, which can be detrimental if they don't take the necessary breaks. And if workers also work in hot or humid environments, their health could be affected by various ailments. Learn about some of them .
J. Stretches arms and back
After long hours sitting at a computer, your back can feel the strain. Add to this a long-standing poor posture, and the result can be slouching in your work chair.
You need to relieve tension throughout your back and waist. There are also ergonomic cushions that naturally adapt to the curve of your body and reduce pressure on your spine. Consider this one we recommend .
K. Use a lifting cushion
During the day, the body is subjected to an exhausting workload of activities, long hours, little exercise, work stress, and untimely meals. These habits end up taking their toll on people's quality of life. And in this sense, the legs and feet are the most overlooked when it comes to body care. Getting them moving will greatly help circulation. An elevation cushion helps keep the legs elevated, which will improve the health of this area of the body. The changes are so far-reaching and positive that they help with varicose veins, cramps, and tired legs. Consider this elevation cushion .
L. Avoid crossing your legs
This is one of the causes of varicose veins. These are swollen veins that are visible just beneath the skin. They most often appear in the legs and are often accompanied by swelling, heaviness, itching, and cramping. They occur due to a problem with the valves, which are responsible for blood flow to the heart. When they are weak or damaged, blood stops and accumulates in the veins, causing them to swell.There are other risk factors, and we'll show you them here .
M. Choose a firm pillow
The firmness of a pillow is more crucial for a restful sleep than it seems. It's estimated that people who sleep 6 to 7 hours a night live longer. In this case, in addition to a firm pillow, we also look for a cool one so we don't have to turn it over in the middle of the night. Some, for example, help prevent contractures or other physical discomfort, as well as align the spine. What other pillows can be chosen? Click here .
N. What if you need a soft pillow?
It all depends on your sleeping preferences. Some pillows can keep your head in a floating position by removing the weight of your head. This is useful because it helps your neck stay aligned regardless of how you sleep. Which pillow is best for you? We'll tell you .
Ñ. Be careful with the position of your neck when using a cell phone.
With technology, people spend a lot of time using their smartphones. The position we adopt while using our phones has become one of the most controversial topics in recent years, as the strain placed on our necks due to the position of our heads can reach 30 kilos if we bend over for many hours a day interacting with these devices. Discover other causes that could be affecting your neck here .
O. Use a cushion that eliminates pressure on the tailbone
Whether you work from home, in an office, or while driving, you should find ways to minimize the discomfort of a sedentary lifestyle. Between time and poor posture, many parts of your body will suffer: from your head to your back, including your neck, buttocks, and spine.
Certain ergonomic cushions are designed to reduce the discomfort caused by pressure on various parts of the body. By eliminating this pressure, the pain disappears. Some of these parts of the body include the tailbone and hip bones, which play a key role for people who must sit for long periods of time. Want to learn more about the benefits ergonomics brings to your life? Click here .
P. Try standing up when talking on the phone or watching TV
When we sit in a chair for long periods of time, our body uses less energy than when standing. According to experts, this could be associated with various conditions, such as obesity, high blood pressure, high blood sugar levels, excess body fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol levels. Find out what other conditions a sedentary lifestyle could bring you here.
Q. Alternate between one cushion to sit on and another to lean on
In addition to saving space and money, they can help improve posture, align your spine, and provide long-lasting support. This way, it provides unparalleled versatility and flexibility. Choose one that's lightweight, versatile, and compact, with a breathable 3D mesh to keep it cool. Do you need one cushion to sit on and another to lean on? This cushion can do both .
A. Take a hot shower before going to bed
When we sleep, our temperature drops, but in places with extreme climates, our rest is more likely to be interrupted, as the body tries unsuccessfully to adapt to the ambient temperature in order to feel comfortable. According to science, taking a very hot bath before bed could be a solution. This will warm the body to a higher temperature, which, in contrast to the outside temperature, will reduce the feeling of suffocation.
S. Take care of your tailbone
The coccyx is a small bone at the end of the spine, which is why it rarely fractures. However, it can suffer from trauma, pain, infections, cysts, and even tumors. Coccyx pain is also known as "coccydynia" or "coccygodynia." Some of these traumas can result from hitting the back of a hard surface (such as falling or slipping on ice), degenerative joint changes, or even a vaginal birth. All of these can cause bruising and ligament strain.
T. Take measurements and distances when working
Whether you work from home or in an office, place your computer monitor about 18 inches (45 centimeters) away from your eyes and your keyboard at elbow level. The back of your chair should maintain the normal curve of your spine. Every 50 minutes, get up, walk around, stretch, and relax for about five minutes. More tips? Click here .
U. Use a crotch cushion
It separates your knees while you sleep, with an ergonomic design that promotes circulation, making it ideal for a restful, discomfort-free night's sleep. Choose one with a breathable, hypoallergenic, and washable cover. We have a recommendation for you .
V. Choose a bathroom stool
Due to what we mentioned earlier about incorrect posture for defecation, this small stool is specially designed to be placed under the toilet, with the soles of the feet placed on top. This way, it can emulate the natural way the body defecates, at a 30-degree angle; that is, at a height of approximately 19 centimeters.
Its main benefit is that it completely relaxes the puborectalis muscle, but there are other benefits that can help your gut health. We'll tell you all about them here .
W. Take care of your back, especially if you work in these six areas
Ergonomics in your workplace is very important. Back pain affects eight out of 10 people at some point in their lives. Much of this pain is related to the activities a person performs in their daily lives, due to their work and/or personal duties. It is particularly prevalent in nursing staff, beauty salon employees, homemakers, domestic workers, teachers, freight handlers, and office workers. Why? Learn the details .
X. Be aware of your posture when standing and sitting
Proper body alignment would prevent, among many other things, pressure on joints, muscles, and the spine. So, it's worth paying attention to your body while standing and sitting.
Not doing so could affect areas of your health you might not have even considered, such as memory and learning, digestion, balance, breathing, skull and jaw problems, hips, knees, heels, feet, and neck. Did you know that the awkward posture while looking at our cell phones could cause us to develop a horn? Click and find out .
Y. Choose a lumbar cushion without having to change chairs
On the market, you can find cushions with a special adjustable strap to fit any type of backrest. And thanks to its design, it helps correct posture. This is due to the central anatomical support, which offers protection and comfort. Thus, a small back cushion will transform a simple office chair into an ergonomic chair, which will improve performance and productivity at work. Here, we recommend a very useful lumbar cushion .
Z. Choose your pillow wisely
The height and density of a pillow can provide adequate neck support or lead to poor sleep and, consequently, neck and back pain. Therefore, we should choose a pillow that adapts to the shape of our neck and is neither too firm nor too soft, so that our spine can maintain its natural alignment.
Regarding height, it's recommended that the pillow not be too high, as this would force our neck into an unnatural position. It's true that we often don't know which pillow is right for us until we find it and fall in love with it. Discover a pillow that could be the best for you here .
Ergonomics: What your body needs for a full life
As we can see, there's a long list of options that represent habits that make comfort a lifestyle. And throughout these recommendations, it's become clear that comfort doesn't have to be at odds with functionality —quite the opposite.
To achieve its goal of providing comfort, ergonomics relies on technology and engineering to design body-friendly devices : from pillows to chairs, electronic devices, and even specialized equipment.
Clearly, greater comfort can be achieved by adopting new habits . They're practical, quick, and the benefits are well worth it. After all, it's the only body you'll have your entire life, and a small difference can bring lasting results.
