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Working From Bed Is A Bad Idea Says Sleep Expert

Mar 23, 2020

Main image via Stocksy United + Thrive Global

Working from home is the norm nowadays as we’re all playing our part in being responsible and staying at home to fight the spread of COVID-19.

Now, the idea of sleeping in a little, waking up in bed and staying in bed the whole day to do work may sound like a dream but unfortunately, it’s not good for you, especially long term.

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We’re in week two of the Movement Control Order and we know, some of us might be going slightly crazy by now, especially because there is now no proper separation of being at work and at home.

It’s definitely tempting to work from the comfort of your bed but according to sleep expert Dr Sophie Bostock, there are a few reasons as to why that’s a bad idea.

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Sleeping in bed is bad for your brain, says Doctor Sophie. For an individual to have a restful night’s sleep, you will want your brain to associate your bed with sleep and not work.

“If you start to merge the boundaries between work and rest, one will intrude into the other,” said Dr Sophie.

Simon Loong, founder and CEO of WeLab, also stressed on the importance of setting up a work space that’s exclusively for business.

“This creates a mental shift which helps you transition into ‘work mode’, where you have a sense of routine, reduce the potential distractions arouns you and provide comfort for working,” he said. “This can significantly increase your productivity.

He also recommends not staying in your pyjamas all day so that it’ll be easier for you to switch to work mode.

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Working from bed will also make you less productive.

“When it comes to switching off the light at night, if you’ve been in your bed all day, thoughts about work are more likely to persist,” explained Dr Sophie.

You are also more likely to nod off during the day when working from bed.

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According to the sleep expert, the best work environments have plenty of daylight as sunlight is a natural mood boosted that can help to keep your energy levels up, espeacially if you work next to a window.

'Exposure to natural light during the day, especially in the morning, also helps to fully wake up your body clock, so that by night time, your body is ready for sleep,' Dr Sophie added.

'One study found that workers who sat next to a window had 46 minutes more sleep than those who worked away from daylight.'

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What’s more? If it’s not obvious, working from bed is bad for your back.

'Reclining on a bed as you curve over a laptop could bring on back pain, which could interfere with your sleep at night,” Dr Sophie warned.

'Try and set up a similar work space that you typically use at work - either seated at a desk which allows you to maintain a straight back, or you could try and set up a standing desk.'

Image via WSJ

So, for those of you who are working from bed, maybe it’s time for a switch of workspace…

Do you know someone who loves working from bed? Share this with them!

Info via Metro