Tips to Prevent Headaches While Working from Home

Important information:

Muscle pain in the neck and shoulders are common in individuals who experience headaches. This can contribute to frequent headaches. Sitting for long periods, especially in front of a computer screen, can increase your risk of developing posture and eyestrain related headaches. Below are tips to improve your posture and decrease your risk of developing neck pain, eyestrain, and headaches.

Patient instructions: Postural guidelines

• Sit at a formal workstation (desk, table). Do not lay in bed or sit on the couch.

• Switch positions. Stand up to reset your body.

• Take short breaks. Walk in your home or outside for 10 minutes.

• Keep computer monitor straight in front of your face, slightly below eye level. This will prevent bending your neck up or down. Keep the monitor 20-28 inches from your face.

• Support your arms on the arm rest of the chair. Your wrists should be in a straight line or neutral position. Do not bend up or down.

• Keep your legs in a neutral position. Avoid sitting on your feet or crossing your legs. Place your feet on a stool or the floor for support.

• Relax your mouth. Lips should be together with teeth apart. Avoid clenching your teeth or tensing your jaw muscles.

• Relax your shoulders.

• Sit back in the chair. This will support your back muscles. Tip: Place a small, rolled towel on your lower back. This will decrease the space between the chair and your back.

Recovery pose: When you feel a headache starting, complete the exercise below.

• Lie on your back with your knees bent.

• Gently clasp your hands together and place them behind your head and neck for support.

• Allow your elbows to fall towards the floor until you feel a comfortable stretch.

• You should not feel pain.

• Relax and focus on your breathing.

• Hold position for 1-2 minutes.

• Lift your elbows, bringing them together if you need a break.

• Repeat as needed.

Postural reset:

• While sitting or standing, bend both elbows to 90 degrees with palms facing up.

• Gently move hands out to the sides while keeping your elbows in contact with your body.

• Return to the starting position.

• Complete 3 – 5 times as needed.

Electronic guidelines:

• Reduce contrasting lights on electronic devices:

  • Use an anti-glare screen or screen filter app for your electronic monitor.

  • Turn on the blue light filter in the settings on all your devices.

  • To decrease brightness, switch appearance to “Dark Mode.”

  • Use tinted indoor glasses to block out artificial blue light (blue light glasses).

• Increase the size of your on-screen text.

• Use voice search and text-to-speech.

• To reduce eyestrain, wear your prescription glasses.

Sleep guidelines:

• Pillows and positioning should be individualized to provide personal comfort.

• The goal is to find a sleeping posture that supports a neutral (straight) spine including the head, neck, upper and lower back. Tip: Neutral spine should look similar to when you are standing with good posture.

• We recommend that you sleep on your back or side. Limit the amount of time spent sleeping on your stomach. This puts added pressure on your spine.

• Back: Use a pillow that supports the head and neck. Your neck should not be bent up or down.

• Side: Fill the space between your neck and the bed. Use a pillow that conforms to the shape of your neck, or a pillow with a cervical (neck) roll. Tip: Put a pillow between your arms and knees to align your spine, hips and pelvis.

Reviewed June 2024 by Christina L. Szperka, MD, MSCE