If you’re in the regular habit of eating lunch at your work desk, then you may want to quit the habit before you suffer serious consequences, according to medical experts.
A previous survey has revealed that more than 80 percent of office workers admitted to munching their midday meal at their work desk at least once a week.
What’s more worrying is that almost half of the representatives (46 percent) confessed they ate ‘al-desko’ most days they were in the office.
While some people chow down in front of their computer to get ahead on pressing deadlines, others do it because they don’t want to spend money and sit down in a restaurant. Or, they want to avoid the staff canteen or kitchen at all costs.
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Unfortunately, this pattern of eating hunched over your laptop could cause major stomach issues, per Alison Cullen, a nutritional practitioner speaking on behalf of A. Vogel.
The expert explained that not sitting upright when eating can cause indigestion.
This is a common condition that causes pain or discomfort in your upper abdomen (dyspepsia) or behind your breastbone (heartburn), according to the NHS.
Classic symptoms include a sudden, burning pain, feeling the need to vomit, burping, and suffering from uncomfortable fullness.
“Eating whilst slumped over a desk will constrict your stomach, making it more difficult for its muscular walls to work properly,” wrote Cullen.
Her notion has been backed up by a London-based chiropractic clinic, which explained that if you eat in a slouched position, you run the risk of putting a ‘whole lot of tension on your diaphragm that it's not used to’, causing it to stop working as it should.
“The result of this can be a mixture of acid reflux, heartburn. and bloating – neither of which is very comfortable,” Canary Wharf Chiropractor says on its website.
The good news is that if you’re already a serial desk-eater, there are ways you can correct your posture.
Start by sitting in a comfortable chair designed to support good posture. One with adjustable lumbar support and the right seat height and depth should do the trick.
Hold what you’re eating in your hands, and bring the food to your mouth rather than bending down to eat it off the desk.
If your stomach walls have weakened, like Cullen warned, there are various exercises you can do to strengthen them, including abdominal crunches, planks, and leg raises.
By tightening up your core, you may also help prevent lower back issues in later life, according to Harvard Medical School.
It’s advised that these exercises be integrated into an overall fitness plan that also includes 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per day and 20 to 30 minutes of strength training two to three times per week.
If digestion issues persist even after you stop eating at your desk, consult your healthcare provider.
You should get care as soon as possible if black, tarry stools are present, you have trouble with swallowing, and/or notice the yellowing of the skin or eyes, the NHS warned.
Ella Scott