Heavy is the head that wears the crown? More like, heavy are the legs that sit on a throne all day! Either during office hours or when eating and/or relaxing, we all sit on our chairs for long periods of time. We’re talking about solid 8 hours or more every day! This is what makes sitting on a comfortable chair all the more important.
So, what can we do to remedy the long-enduring fatigue and unpleasantness? The answer might not always be to replace your chair right away. There are certain steps you can take first to try and make your existing chair more comfortable.
The chairs are set up to be fairly simple. They consist of three parts: the seat, the legs, and the backrest. In order to improve your sitting experience, you should consider improving the condition of all three elements.
What Can You Do for the Bottom Half?
Well, if the legs of a chair fail, the whole operation will crack, and you’ll end up on the ground! Here are two things you can check to make sure that the bottom half of your chair is properly attached to make your sitting experience the best one ever:
- Check to see if the legs of your chair are leveled and whether the wheels are functioning properly. Dust and hair buildup around the wheels sometimes make it hard for the chair to move around.
- Adjust the height of your chair to make sure that your feet are able to sit firmly on the ground. If the chair is too high, it might affect your circulation and your posture. And if the chair is too low, you might have a hard time getting up.
- You can also invest in a footrest to elevate your feet from time to time to make sure you have good circulation. The proximity of your body to the ground also affects the comfort of your sitting position, so a footrest will make sure you sit upright with minimal effort.
What Can You Do for the Seat?
It wouldn’t be an understatement to call the seat the most important part of the chair. The seat is where you land the tush! Hence, it has to be the most comfortable thing about the chair itself. Here is what you can do to make your peach reach the maximum level of comfort. (It rhymes!)
Everyone Prefers a Soft Landing
Check the material of the cushion of your chair. What is it made out of? Is it soft? Is it ergonomic? Observe whether it is the cushion that is making you uncomfortable. If yes, go ahead and invest in a better seat cushion.
The market for seat cushions is wide enough that there is a right landing for everyone. The prices vary, and so does the quality. You can buy a standard seat cushion for around $20, or you can have it custom-made to accommodate your delectable derriere for approximately $200. If you have a wooden chair you can find seat cushions made specifically for flat chairs. This chair pad comes in a pack of 4 for about $30. You can also DIY seat cushions fairly easily and on a budget. Check out this video on how to make your own seat cushions.
At Home Solutions
If you don’t want to invest in a seat cushion, you can make do with what you have at home. Sitting on a cushion of your choice or simply grabbing a blanket might also do the trick. Try to observe what is about the seat that makes you uncomfortable. Maybe it is the fabric of the seat that is giving you a rash-like feeling or the cushion you currently have is worn out.
What About the Backrest?
What separates chairs from stools is the fact that you can rest your back. That feeling of resting your back when your task is finally done is nothing shy of a euphoria. But what happens when your backrest is not giving you that physical, and let’s face it, emotional support?
Is Your Lumbar Supported?
Lumbar is not the name of the Zumba place down the street you thought about checking out. It’s a small portion on your back, just below the ribcage. Some chairs don’t have enough support to give your Lumbar the break it deserves, while others don’t even have support. So if your back is hurting, you may want to look into how your chair is supposed to be supporting your back and why it doesn’t.
If you think your chair is not supporting your back, you can invest in support pads that you can find on the internet. This support pad promotes lumbar support and retails for $26.
You can also invest in a full-size back cushion which you can also customize to support your body’s unique needs.
The Bottom Line (Pun Intended)
If none of these solutions work, then we have some bad news! You might need to invest in a new chair. But do not fret! We have a list of chairs you can purchase for under $100. Check out our guide to find the right chair for a good price!
