What’s The Healthiest Way to Sit? Everything You Need to Know

What is the healthiest way to sit? Here's our findings.

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Posture is something that is gaining more importance in young adults and teens. Luckily, understanding the healthiest way to sit is fairly straightforward.

We’ll be looking at everything you need to know when it comes to sitting properly in the following guide.

How Do You Sit in a Gaming Chair?

Before you switch your favorite game on and prepare to enjoy a session, you should first take some preparatory steps to ensure that you’re properly sat in your gaming chair! You should make sure that you adjust the chair height so that your feet are positioned flat on the floor, and your knees are positioned just below the height of your knees.

Then, you should tuck your hips into the seat, place your arms onto the armrests and try your best to maintain a straight posture. The easiest way to do this is to place your back firmly against the back of the chair, which will also allow you to make good use of your neck rest – if your gaming chair has one!

How Long Can You Sit in a Gaming Chair?

If you’re a gamer, one of the biggest dilemmas you’ll face is how long you should sit in your gaming chair. The good news is that gaming chairs are usually designed to cater to this issue and are created in such a way that they will be able to keep your spine straight and your posture aligned while you’re sitting in it. Thanks to this, it means that you’ll be able to sit in your gaming chair for a long period of time without feeling any strain, although you should make sure that you frequently get up to walk around and stretch your body to stay healthy.

If you’re yet to make a gaming chair purchase or you’ve been considering upgrading your current gaming chair to a better one, one of the easiest indications that a gaming chair will be able to offer you proper support is if it is labeled as being ‘ergonomic’ which essentially means that it has been designed to deliver optimum comfort and posture support.

Is It Better To Sit On a Chair Without a Back?

There’s plenty of evidence to suggest that sitting on a chair without a back is better for us as opposed to sitting on a chair that has a back and neck rest. Whether for gaming purposes or working from your desk, many people prefer to opt for a backless chair, as without a back, there’s nothing tempting to slouch against. This means that a backless chair will help to promote better posture, which is better for our health.

In addition to this, as backless chairs are intended to make us sit straight, it means that you’ll be able to benefit from increased blood flow, which will, in turn, help us to feel more alert, whether working or gaming. There’s also a lot of research that suggests that as backless seats encourage us to move our bodies around more, it causes us to become more productive and alert due to greater cognitive function triggered by our movements. This will help to encourage a more productive and dynamic work or gaming environment.

Is It Better to Sit on a Hard or Soft Surface?

Though you might be tempted to get your hands on a comfortable, soft chair in the hopes of less strain and more hours at your desk strain-free, you might be better off deciding to opt for a chair with a hard surface. Sure, even though a softer chair might initially feel more comfortable, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s going to be able to offer you the proper amount of support you need, especially if you like to put in long hours at your desk.

Chairs that have a firmer sitting surface will be able to offer you a perfect mix of posture support and comfort, which will allow you to sit in your chair for longer periods of time without experiencing any pain.

Is it Better to Sit On a Stool Or Chair?

The easiest way to decide whether a chair or stool is better for you is by considering what it is you need it for. For instance, if you have a standing job that requires you to be upon your feet for long periods of time throughout the day (such as organizing shelves in a grocery store or warehouse) then a stool would be the most appropriate option, as it will be easier to transport from place to place. On the other hand, if you have a job that requires you to work from a desk, then you might find that you benefit the most from a larger chair that has back support.

Besides that, though, it’s worth noting that many people consider stools to be the healthier option out of the two. This is because stools often have a higher seating position, which encourages the thighs to gently point downwards, which helps to encourage the pelvis and lower back to relax, allowing the spine to position itself into its natural curve. Stool chairs also encourage more movement as there is no backrest, which can create a more productive workplace, as increased motion is linked to heightened cognitive functioning.

Is It Better To Sit Up Straight or Lean Back?

Ultimately, when it comes to achieving both the best and most comfortable posture for our back, you will be able to make the best judgment call as you know your body best. However, as a general rule when it comes to posture, it’s recommended that you always choose to sit up straight (or as straight as feels comfortable) as this will help to keep your spine aligned.

In contrast, when you lean back in a chair, though it might feel more comfortable at the time, it can actually put pressure on three areas of your back, including the spine and neck. Over time, this can cause issues such as trapped nerves, stiffness, and strain.

Is It Better To Sit With Your Feet Up?

Regardless of whether you work a desk job or love long gaming sessions, it will not necessary to sit with your feet positioned in an elevated position (remember, only you know your body best, so will be able to make the best judgment call), though there are plenty of benefits to elevating your legs from time to time. We recommend propping your legs up at a 9o degree angle every few hours, as this will help to improve your lymphatic fluid circulation, reduce any strain from your lower body, all while helping to improve blood circulation to your heart.

Is It Better To Sit Without Back Support?

As you might have already read from some of the questions we have answered so far, there are plenty of reasons as to why choosing to sit on a chair that doesn’t offer back support is best. For starters, chairs or stools that do not have back support help to encourage us to sit up straight, as there isn’t any back support for us to slouch or lean into, which helps to improve our overall posture.

In addition to this, choosing to sit on a chair that doesn’t offer any back support can help to encourage a more productive work environment. This is because backless chairs help to increase mobility and encourage us to move our bodies around more freely. This will, in turn, help us to feel more energized and alert, as active movement has been linked to increased cognitive functions.

Is Sitting Cross-Legged Bad?

From time to time, all of us will likely position ourselves into a cross-legged position, whether that be from habit or simply because it feels good. However, though sitting in cross-legged positions for a short amount of time won’t likely cause any issues, there are plenty of reasons why you should consider avoiding sitting in a cross-legged position for a long period of time.

For starters, sitting cross-legged can cause the blood circulation to your lower legs to be reduced, blood pressure to rise, and can even cause vein inflammation, which can raise the chances of developing a blood clot.

Is Sitting On Your Knees Healthy?

Who doesn’t sit on their knees from time to time? If you occasionally sit on your knees, then this won’t be a problem. However, if you frequently sit in this position for long periods of time, it can cause pain to both your knees and ankles, all while reducing the blood circulation in your legs.

In contrast, if you often work long hours sitting in one position, kneeling can actually be a good thing. This is because kneeling engages a range of muscles in our body, including our core, and encourages us to sit up properly, all while stretching our bodies, making it an ideal way to keep us from feeling stiff throughout the day – especially after long periods of inactivity, such as from sitting at a desk.