May 2021 | Page 64

THIS SPREAD : GETTY IMAGES / DEAGREEZ AND OLLY KAVA . OPPOSITE : SAMANTHA LABRECQUE AND THE PEYTON COMPANY .

Work

from Home HEAL
Some helpful hints on how to work from home like a pro .
PROBLEM : Frequent Snacking Eat sensibly . Munch on greens and protein for your main meal and snack on fruit , granola bars and nuts to avoid feeling sluggish . Eating at your desk tends to make you overwork and overeat too , so get up and eat at the kitchen table or sit outside . Also , drink a lot of water to stay hydrated and focused enough to power through your work day .
PROBLEM : Poor Posture Sitting and staring at a computer screen for several hours a day can give you a stiff , sore back . An easy solution is adjusting the height of your screen to eye level . Have a few old books lying around ? Stack them on top of one another , pop them under your monitor and you ’ re good to go . If you don ’ t notice any immediate improvements , try deskercising . ( Yes , it ’ s a real thing .) One move to try is the shoulder shrug : raise both shoulders up towards your ears , hold for five seconds , slowly drop them back down and repeat until satisfied . Is your upper back still stiff ? Try the pencil pinch exercise : Roll your shoulders back together and imagine that you ’ re holding a pencil in between your shoulder blades . Hold for five to ten seconds , release and repeat twelve to fifteen times .
PROBLEM : Lack of Physical Activity Taking a few breaks throughout the day helps you be more productive and gets your creative juices flowin ’, so step away from your workspace for a bit . Hop on the Peloton during your lunch break or take a walk around the block to stretch cramped muscles , alleviate sitting-induced backaches and clear up any feelings of midday grogginess .
PROBLEM : Eye Strain A very common condition , eye strain often occurs after looking at a computer or tablet screen for long periods of time . Studies show that reducing eye strain not only benefits your overall vision , but also reduces fatigue . If you often feel tired and have trouble focusing on the computer screen , try these hacks :
◆ Match the computer ’ s display brightness to the same level as your work environment .
◆ Change all text sizes so that they are easy to read .
◆ Keep blue light at a minimum ; you can fiddle with your computer ’ s settings to adjust its color temperature .
◆ Step away from the screen every hour or so .

Sweet Dreams

Sleep plays an integral role in our physical , mental and emotional well-being . Check out these tips and tricks on how to have a restful night ’ s sleep from Dr . Peter Karczmar , a board-certified specialist in pulmonary and sleep medicine at Coastal Medical .
Hold Off on the Caffeine Cut yourself off from caffeine earlier than you might think : Stop drinking coffee or consuming anything with caffeine in it ( including chocolate ) by 2 p . m . “ Consuming a caffeinated beverage [ or snack ] any later can keep you up all night because caffeine is a stimulator ,” says Karczmar .
Get Rid of Distractions It ’ s normal to check your newsfeed just one more time before calling it a night , right ? In reality , you shouldn ’ t watch TV or use your phone , computer or tablet while lying in bed . “ One reason is that these types of activities make you alert and wake you up , which then makes it even harder to fall asleep . The other reason is that the light from the device affects the timing of your sleep ,” he says .
Adjust Your Environment Drown out the silence ( and any buzzing thoughts ) with an app that plays soothing sounds like crickets chirping or waves crashing on the shore . It all comes down to personal preference ; even something as simple as a small fan can create the perfect amount of white noise . Pillow type is also something that affects everyone on an individual level . When buying a new pillow , take the time to go through your options , whether it be memory foam , feather-filled , firm or squishy . And what about room temperature ? “ It is up to individual preference , although a warmer environment tends to disrupt sleep ,” Karczmar says . So , really , the key to uninterrupted bliss may just be investing in a quality portable fan .
Sleep Hacks Prepare your body for eight hours of heavenly slumber by exercising later in the day rather than the morning ( but not so close to your bedtime that your heart is still racing when you go to lie down ), or by taking a warm , relaxing bath right before changing into your pajamas .
62 RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY l MAY 2021