Is it that dreaded time of the year? Yes, you got it right. It's time to give midterms at school! Not only is it a stressful time of the year for students, but it can also make parents extremely nervous and on edge. Students are seen pulling all-nighters, hunched over their books, and staying in their rooms for most of their days.
What Are Midterms?
Midterm examinations occur after the fall semester ends, just before schools shut down for Christmas and winter holidays. They usually take place between October and December and can be a tough time for many schools and college students. School papers are due, dissertations are being written, and many students are found buried in their books.
How Do Students Study For Examinations?
Everyone has their own unique way of studying for their examinations, and they adopt the manner that works for them. Some students study in groups with other peers, some pace in their rooms and study out aloud, some study at the library, while others need a quiet spot at home on their desks.
Regardless of how students study for their examinations, they usually assume a posture and maintain it for a long time, whether it is sitting, standing, pacing, or lying down. Posture is extremely important for all humans and is very often overlooked. Most people ignore incorrect posture, continue to neglect their posture, and sit in uncomfortable positions without understanding how damaging this can be for them in the long term.
What Is Posture?
Posture is how a person carries. There are two different types of postures, dynamic and static. Static posture is described as the posture that a body assumes when it is at rest, such as sitting, standing, or lying down. Dynamic posture is the body's position while it is moving or performing some activity such as walking, bending, lifting, and running. The human body must be conscious and aware of its posture at all times and attempt to correct it any time they notice that it is incorrect.
Here is a brief description of the correct postures:
The Correct Standing Posture
When standing and studying or working, it is important to make sure that you are standing in the correct posture and that your body is in the most neutral position. Our spinal cords are S-shaped, and to avoid adding stress on the spine, it is essential to maintain the spine's S-shaped curve. by following the steps below, you can ensure that your body is held in a neutral position:
Stand with feet firm and flat on the ground
Both feet should be shoulder-width apart
The shoulders should be rolled back and relaxed
The shoulders should not be raised, hunched, or rolled forward
The neck should be held straight and in the most comfortable position
The neck should not be tilted, extended or bent
The head should be held straight, and the eyes should be fixated on something in the distance
The arms should be hanging loosely on either side
The arms should be completely relaxed, not raised or bent
The hands should be relaxed with fingers pointing downwards and not rolled into a fist
The tummy should be tucked in
The back should be straight, and you should stand straight and tall
It helps to stand against a wall with your heels touching the wall
Your legs should be relaxed, and your weight should be focused on the balls of your feet
The Correct Sitting Posture
If you prefer to sit and study, here are the steps that you should follow to ensure that your body is in the correct sitting posture:
Sit with both feet firm and flat on the ground
Do not sit on a seat that is too high or too low
Your feet should not hang above the ground
Your back should be straight with adequate lumbar and back support
Your neck should be straight
Your head should be held high and straight without weighing your neck down
Your eyes should be focused on something straight ahead
Your shoulders should be relaxed and not hunched or raised
Your knees should be bent at right angles to your body
Your ankles should be behind your knees
Your tummy should be tucked in
Your arms should hand by your sides or rest on armrests or your workstation
Your arms should be bent at right angles
Your arms should not over-extend or over-bend to reduce extra stress or strain
Your thighs and hips should rest fully on your seat
The seat should not be too small
When sitting and studying, it is important to ensure that your screen or book is placed at eye level rather than too high or too low. Bending your head over can cause neck spasms, headaches, and neck and shoulder pain that can radiate to the arms and the back as well.
Ergonomic Study Chair
Whether it is exam time or you are working on a school paper, if you or your child prefers to work on a study desk, their workstation must be as comfortable as possible. Ergonomic study chairs are designed to reduce fatigue and pain and allow students to have a productive and comfortable experience while studying on their study chairs.
The following features make the perfect study chair:
It can be raised or lowered according to the user's height to ensure that the feet rest firmly on the ground
It has a seat that is big enough to accommodate users of all sizes
The seat fabric is made out of mesh or breathable material so that the user is comfortable and doesn't feel too hot
The seat should have adequate lumbar support for the spine
The seat should have a swivel and movable function for easy access to the workstation and the room
The seat should have armrests to allow the elbows to rest at ninety degrees
FlexiSpot has the perfect study chair options that can be used for many years due to its durability and premium quality that allow it to last a long time.
What Are The Benefits Of Using An Ergonomic Study Chair?
There are many benefits of using an ergonomic study chair. The following list mentions all the advantages of using an ergonomic study chair:
Decreases Fatigue
A comfortable chair encourages and maintains a good posture that does not put excessive strain on the head, neck, shoulders, and back. Due to this, there is decreased pain and discomfort, leading to less fatigue.
Improves Focus And Concentration
Reduced fatigue and discomfort improve focus and concentration. It boosts energy and makes the user feel more passionate and motivated for a longer time. Sitting in hunched and slouched positions directly impacts mental health and can make the user feel drowsy, lazy, and bored. This reduces their focus and concentration, decreases their quality of work, and reduces the number of hours of work time.
Keeps You Energized
When you feel less weary and tired, your focus and concentration improve, and happy hormones and endorphins are released into the blood, invoking a feel-good and calm response in the user. Happier people are more optimistic, refreshed, and motivated to work. It enhances their productivity and gives them an energy boost allowing them to work longer hours. Studying longer hours make students more productive and increases their confidence regarding the stressful exam period.
Maintains Good Posture
As mentioned above, it is so important to maintain the correct posture as it can prevent you from many different types of problems and diseases. A good quality ergonomic study chair helps to maintain your posture and helps you sit comfortably without experiencing fatigue and discomfort. A good quality ergonomic chair is explicitly designed to align with your body and encourage it to assume the best posture so that it does not suffer from pain and discomfort as well as postural health problems such as:
Obesity
High blood pressure
Diabetes
Respiratory disease
Decreased blood circulation
Sciatica
Indigestion
High cholesterol
Heath disease
Anxiety and depression
The above is not directly linked to incorrect posture but are contributing factors. Due to the advent of the tech world, most people have started working on screens and are glued to their seats all day long. A sedentary lifestyle involving little or no movement is detrimental to health. It is very important to incorporate exercise into our lives and take active measures to incorporate ergonomics into our daily routines.
The Final Word
Exam time is stressful as it is; therefore, it is essential that students, as well as parents, take measures to try and reduce stress levels and at least create a comfortable studying environment. This can be done by ensuring that studying is done in comfortable and ergonomic study chairs that provide a comfortable and pain-free experience. Reduces fatigue and boosts energy to help improve the studying experience.
