Health Problems Due To Work From Home Amid Pandemic + Vital Tips To Stay Fit

It has been over a year and the world still continues to fight Coronavirus. Now, India is in the middle of the second wave and people are still working from home. Though, work from home is a dream turned into reality. After all, you will be able to do things at your pace. But, as said, every coin has two sides; your work from home can be a bane for you. The erratic schedule and long working hours can take a toll on you. Here are some foolproof tricks to stay fit and fine while working from home.

You may have rejoiced when your HR told you that you need to work from home during these unprecedented times Finally, you got to do what you always wanted to. Work from home sounded fun as no more getting up early, traveling for long hours, attending meetings physically, or no burnouts. We have to admit that the first few months were fine but now after a year, our outlook has changed. Work from home has made us lazy and we are prone to stress and many health issues. There are many people who have noticed changes in their physical and mental health. You may end up feeling more anxious than what you felt in the workplace. Below are some of the issues that crop up owing to work from home.

• Musculoskeletal pain in the muscles, bones, ligaments, tendons, and nerves: People will have back and neck pain from a not so right desk set-up, unsupportive chair, or just long hours sitting down is a common problem among those working from home as in the office there is a proper desk setup. Do not sit on the bed or the couch. Use a good chair that keeps your posture intact.
• Eye strain: Since you are glued to your laptops or computers then you will encounter eye problems such as blurry vision, eye irritation, or itchy eyes. You may also experience a headache due to the constant usage of gadgets. Eye muscles will contract when you look close and they tend to relax when you look away. Even blue light from the gadget can disturb your vision.
• Temporary hearing loss: You will be required to attend meetings online via video calls or phone calls. But, you will have to keep your ears safe while getting used to this new normal. If you are using earphones then try to keep the volume at a safe level or you may encounter noise-induced hearing loss.
• Loneliness: Being confined to your work station at home can lead to feelings of depression, stress, anxiety and sadness. You may also suffer from burnout due to work for longer hours.
• Weight gain: Sitting in one place for a long time can make you pile up those excess kilos. Avoid binge and emotional eating. Obesity in turn is one of the risk factors for Heart Disease and a precursor to Diabetes
• Insufficient sleep: The hectic schedule and excessive gadget usage can make you a night owl.  Insufficient sleep will rob your peace of mind and will make it difficult for you to concentrate and function properly.

Tips to stay in top shape while working from home

• Exercise every day without fail. You can do activities like aerobics, cycling in the building premises, walking at home, yoga, pranayama, and meditation to stay stress-free and get rid of depression.
• To combat loneliness, try to open up about your feelings with your family and friends. Spend some quality time with your family. Stick to the working hours and spend some ME time to rejuvenate.
• Eat mindfully and avoid overeating. Try to eat fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, pulses, and whole grains. Do not have carbonated drinks, alcohol, or too much caffeine. Say No smoking, spicy, oily, and junk food. This will help you to maintain an optimum weight.
• Use a good chair and maintain a proper posture while working from home. Stand up from time to time to combat back pain. Stretch frequently and limit the usage of the gadgets and create gadget-free zones at home or opt for a digital detox to bid adieu to the text neck syndrome or carpal tunnel syndrome.
• To avoid hearing problems, lower the sound of the gadget and avoid long-time usage of the phone.
• Try to take a break after every 20 minutes and focus on an object that’s kept 20 feet away from you till 20 seconds use an anti-glare screen for the monitor and blink often to avoid dry eyes.
• Sleep peacefully for at least 8 hours and you will be active and fresh.

Article is prepared by Dr. Tushar Rane, Internal Medicine Expert, Apollo Spectra Hospital Mumbai