Improve health, wellness by adjusting your workspace

Home office redesign takes more thought than just what looks nice. Ergonomics, or design to fit the human body, matters, too. Working at a computer for long periods of time can take a toll on health. But by playing with factors like computer screen eye-level or standing-height workstations, the desk-tethered can decreases risks.

Enter the standing desk

Research shows simply sitting for long periods of time results in greater health risks, even if with regular exercise. Catrine Tudor-Locke, a researcher at the Pennington Biomedical Research in Baton Rouge, La., says to keep changing postures during the day, including standing for part of the day. "It's all about shaking it up," she says.

When choosing a standing desk, first evaluate what you own, says Michelle Judd at Ergotron, St. Paul, Minn. Don't want to part with current furniture? Manufacturers make height-adjustable mounts that clamp right onto most existing workstations. "If people want to keep their desk, that's kind of their first choice," she says.

Add a monitor

If working at a computer for more than an hour a day, use a desktop monitor rather than a laptop when sitting, says Jack Dennerlein, a senior lecturer at the Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Mass. If using a laptop, add an external keyboard, mouse and monitor to maximize comfort and posture. "Working on a laptop without those types of things promotes postures that aren't comfortable to maintain for the long term," he says. "You want the top of the screen at eye level."

Customize for your body

Before investing in a new desk, be sure to check the height. Ideally, the arm should rest comfortably on the desk at elbow height, Dennerlein says. Make sure to find a desk with adjustable legs.

Also consider ergonomic chairs, which are often height-adjustable. Get one with a five-spoke bottom; four-spoke chairs are more likely to topple over, says Jon Paulsen, a certified ergonomist at The Human Solution, Austin, Texas. Keep a look out for reclining adjustments, height adjustments and room for the back of the knees to breathe. "Adjust your chair to your body type," he says.

Dennerlein employs the idea of horizontal adjustability for ergonomic support as well. Keeping more room on the tabletop allows more movement, such as sliding over the keyboard. "It's not about the computer, it's about the whole system," he says. "Having a larger horizontal surface gives you more flexibility with the work you do at your computer."

When customizing a workspace for kids, take a tip from designer Erica Islas at EMI Interior Design, Culver City, Calif. Instead of buying a kid desk, she placed a tabletop between two shelving areas with notches on them so that the tabletop could be moved up. "You know how kids tend to get bigger and bigger and bigger?" she says. "You can do an adjustable desk, so you can adjust it as years go by."

Working in Bed

Like with any working posture, using a laptop in bed for too long can hurt the body. "The biggest problem with working in bed is the postures your neck has to go through," Dennerlein says. Sit up with lots of pillows, he says. Laying a laptop on the thighs means the screen is too low. Consider a lap desk to raise the screen and lessen the tension on the neck.

No matter where you work, just remember to not stay in one position all day. "I walk until my feet get tired, and I sit till my butt gets tired," Tudor-Locke says of her own office behavior. "[Do] more listening to your body."