In your lifetime, you will spend an average of 900,000 hours at work in your desk job and most of this time is likely spent in front of your desk. When you consider how much of your life will be spent on your office chair, it becomes pretty clear that this is the one accessory in your life that shouldn’t be uncomfortable.
In this guide, we are going to find out how to make desk chair more comfortable and healthier to sit in so you can feel calmer and healthier while spending all that time at work.
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How to Make Desk Chairs More Comfortable
There are quite a few things you can do to make your chair much more comfortable without having to buy a new chair. Here is a quick look at the best things you can do to enhance your level of comfort when you have to spend many hours a day glued to a seat.
Adopt a Healthy Posture Position
Sitting in a proper posture position can feel a bit uncomfortable while your body is getting used to this healthier posture position. But in the long run, you will feel a lot more comfortable since a healthier position can combat body pain, promote blood circulation, and reduce pain in your lumbar region.
To prevent poor posture, you should start by adjusting your ergonomic chair. Here is a quick look at the right adjustments to make if you want to enhance your comfort level.
Adjust the Seat Height
The first step is to adjust your seat height to a proper height. When you sit down on your chair, your knees should be bent at a 90-degree angle with your feet flat on the floor and your computer screen at eye level. Keep adjusting your chair until you achieve this correct height in your office setup.
If your chair’s maximum adjustable height is still too low then it is time to buy a chair for a tall person. Sitting in a chair that is too low is horrible for your health.
You can also get a seat cushion to raise the comfortable office chair seat height or to soften up your chair seat if it is too firm. Seat cushions are available in a huge variety of shapes and styles and you can even get cooling gel cushions that can reduce tailbone pain or pressure on your hips.
Another good way to increase the height of your office chair is by replacing the casters with some rubber office chair wheels. Those swivel wheels are usually quieter, have a greater bodyweight limit, and can make your chair much taller.
For office chairs that are too tall no matter how much you lower them, you can consider a shorter gas cylinder or simply get a nice little footrest or stack of books so you can sit with your feet flat on the floor.
Adjust the Armrest Height and Angle
Good arm support is important because it can reduce shoulder pain, neck pain, and muscle tension. Your arms should be able to rest comfortably on your armrests without raising your shoulders too much. If you don’t have a chair that supports your arms enough then you should look for a new office chair that comes with 3D adjustable armrests so you can adjust the rests and sit more comfortably. Ideally, you should sit with your shoulders relaxed and still react to the armrests comfortably.
Adjust the Lumbar Support
The lumbar support in the backrest should support your lower back so your back can adopt that neutral position with an s-curve. Plenty of older office chairs didn’t come with built-in lumbar support. But you can still get the needed support in your lumbar region by investing in a loose lumbar support pillow that you can add to your chair. Ideally, you should look for a mesh lumbar support cushion because these offer plenty of support and they are nice and breathable.
Tilt the Chair Back a Little Bit
Cheap office chairs are often designed to force your body into a 90-degree angle. But many find this straight position uncomfortable. For many, it is much more comfortable to sit in a task chair with a 110 – 130 recline angle and other adjustable features. So go ahead and loosen up the tilt tension control of your chair so you can lean back a little bit. This will add more pressure on the lumbar support which can reduce the overall pressure on your spinal column.
Add the Right Chair Accessories
Investing in the right chair accessories is a great way to transform a cheap chair into a comfortable chair. Here is a quick look at the best chair accessories to consider for maximum comfort.
Get a Headrest
Headrests are great for relaxing your head and for reducing pressure on your shoulders and neck muscles and can prevent neck strain. Plenty of modern office chairs come with headrests. But if yours don’t then you can always get a loose clip-on headrest that you can attach to your office chair.
Headrests are a great way to increase the backrest height of an uncomfortable chair and can be very handy for reclining office chairs that allow you to lean back and rest.
Get a Seat Cushion
Adding an ergonomic seat cushion to your chair is a great way to increase your chair height or soften up a chair that is too firm. Cooling gel pillows can help you prevent a sweaty bum while a coccyx pillow can help align your hips and reduce tailbone pain.
Get Padding for Your Armrests
Plastic armrests can cause pressure sores on your elbows. A gel wrist rest or upholstered armrests can soothe these pains and make your chair more comfortable.
Get Lumbar Support
If your chair doesn’t offer enough lumbar support then you can get a lumbar pillow and add it to the backrest of your task chair. This dynamic lumbar accessory is a good option for correcting bad posture and for improving your overall sitting health.
Get a Chair Mat
A chair mat can help your swivel chair flow easily over the floor without getting caught in the carpet fibers or making any noises.
Final Thoughts
Now that you know how to make desk chairs more comfortable, all that is left to do is to start shopping for the right chair accessories. And if none of the accessories you buy can help convert your uncomfortable office chair then it might be time for an ergonomic office chair with ergonomic adjustments that can reduce posture issues. These new-age office chairs are great because they can be adjusted to suit your body type. Check out some of the guides we have on Chirs Wiki if you are looking for a perfect chair for your body weight.
