As we hit the two year mark of the COVID-19 pandemic, there are many symptoms it’s left in its wake that we’ve had to adjust to. For those of us who have been working from home for the majority of this time, one thing many of us are dealing with is “tech neck.” We are spending more time seated at a desk staring at screens than ever, and as a result you may be noticing your posture has weakened. “Tech neck is long term pain of the neck and head due to poor posture. This is typically when the centerline of the head, the ear canal, is chronically in front of the midline of the shoulders,” says Dr. Matt Chalmers, founder of Chalmers Wellness, “The strain on the musculature can increase the chances of tension headaches, shoulder pain, TMJ issues, and fatigue.”
Tech neck can also affect your skin—because the muscles in your neck get weaker, it can make the skin on your neck sag as well. With work from home lifestyles becoming the norm for the foreseeable future, it’s important to create habits that promote good posture to avoid long term negative effects, including the effects on your skin. These three tips are all places to start so that you can reduce pain and premature aging.
Adjust Your Workspace
If you work from home, your workspace has a major impact on your mood and productivity. The same applies for your posture. Tech neck is inevitable if you sit hunched over a computer screen, so create a space that encourages you to sit up straight. “Move your monitor up so that you are looking slightly up at it. The center of your monitor should be 4-6 inches above your normal visual plane.” Dr. Chalmers says. One helpful way to do this is to connect your laptop to a larger monitor so that it’s easier to look up and not down.
Do Exercises at Home
Poor posture is often exacerbated by weak muscles, so doing exercises can be helpful to reverse it. “Do extension exercises for the back, and really extend all the way back at the end. This will start to exercise the muscles all the way up your back and into the back of your head. By activating these muscles more often it will help to push back against the constant head forward posture.” Dr. Chalmers recommends planks as a good exercise to do at home—try looking in front instead of down when doing them to really target and stabilize the upper back and neck.
See a Chiropractor
Sometimes at home solutions just don’t correct the issue. In that case, seeing a chiropractor can work wonders in getting relief and improving your posture. “See a chiropractor to get the joints in the neck to relax. This will help change the way the muscles are pulling. A chiropractor can also assess for herniated or damaged discs.” Dr. Chalmers says.
When it comes to posture and skin issues, being proactive is key. Trying these tips can help reduce tech neck and skin sagging as a result, but coupling this with a strong skincare regimen can work to reduce skin sagging as well. Retinol is one thing that can be beneficial for your skin, says Dr. Simran Sethi, founder of RenewMD Beauty & Wellness. “Retinol increases skin cell turnover and signals the skin to make new proteins like collagen and elastin at a more accelerated rate,” she says, “Starting the use of Retinol as early as your twenties will fight signs of skin sagging more effectively than waiting till later when sagging is already quite visible.” Working a high quality retinol into your skincare routine and tweaking your daily routines to promote better posture are both ways you can improve your posture, feel better, and take good care of your skin.
