Discussion: Could the way you're reading be harming you?

Could the way we read be harming our health? It sounds dramatic but stop an and think about it. If you're like me you don't sit down to read a book for 5 or 10 mins. Book bloggers tend to marathon books. We squash ourselves into chairs and sit in really awkward positions for hours at a time. 

There's been many a time that I've gotten up from a reading session only to almost fall over because I've been sitting in the one position for two long. 

Ever since being diagnosed with inflammatory arthritis I have to be very conscious of how much time I spend sitting in the one position. I also have to be very conscious of my posture while reading. If I don't sit right when I read I suffer for the whole day and night after.

Do you sit on your legs while reading? I used to do that all the time and then I'd get horrific pains. This  happens due to improper position of your legs which interrupts circulation. One of the best ways to sit right when you read is to make sure you’re sitting with your legs at the right height. So how do we do this? You need to make sure your thighs are parallel to the floor and your lower legs are, at the same time, perpendicular to the floor. You could also try using a foot rest to make yourself comfortable, lift your legs and allow proper blood flow. 

You should also make sure to support your shoulders and neck while you’re reading. hunching forward puts immense pressure on the shoulders and neck. Sit back, make sure the seat and back of the chair are cushioned and offer good support to your shoulders and back. Additionally, you should make sure you have enough lumbar support, and you can do that by placing a cushion in the back of the chair you are sitting on. 

What you shouldn’t do 

What you shouldn't do while reading is as important as what you should do. When reading, try not to bend your head too much. When you lower your head down to read it strains the muscles in your neck which will lead to  neck and back pain. If you do this on daily basis, the pain can become severe and that will affect your posture as well. A good tip is toe tips to hold your book out in front of you while reading. Resist the temptation to leave your book on your lap or arm rest. 

Use a device like Upright

You can improve your posture, or even read with the adequate body position with the simple device called  UpRight. The idea behind Upright is really clever. You attach it to your back and it will sense when your posture is bad. If you start to slouch it vibrates, reminding you to correct your posture. And no, you don’t have to wear it all day long. The recommended usage time is 15 minutes per day. You can even connect to the mobile app and track your  progress.The idea is that eventually it will become habit and in time you'll automatically correct your posture.

What about you? Do suffer back or neck pain while reading? What tips do you have?

This is a sponsored post. This does not effect my opinion