Remote working is the new buzzword that has the corporate world in its grasp. Companies were forced to send their staff home during the pandemic to keep the ship afloat. As restrictions eased up and the vaccinations started to roll out, they were faced with giving their staff a choice.

Several companies say that their staff could work just as well remotely as what they did at the office. However, staff health has come under the microscope. Remote workers are not healthy and here is why.

Unhealthy eating habits

The fridge is only a room away and remote workers are all too aware of the fact that they can snack whenever they feel like it. Now that they have full access to their fridge and pantry, many remote workers find it hard to abstain from unhealthy snacks. As a result, they have gained unwanted weight and struggle to shed those pounds. This is because of their inactivity.

To reverse the effects, many have opted for water fasting to try and reduce their calorie intake during the workday. To help them out, LifeApps prepares them by letting them know what they can expect during their fast.

Mental health

The health of remote workers is not reduced to physical health alone. Their mental health is also taking strain. We are social beings and even in a working environment, we all need social interaction. Remote workers are starting to feel the pressure of not being able to socialize as often as they used to and this has a massive effect on their psyche.

Many are becoming depressed as a result of not being in contact with co-workers. Those coffee breaks, sharing their concerns and frustrations of the day are all gone and they have to find new ways of coping with their stress. Depression is only one of the mental health issues, but it also leads to inferiority complexes and staff not feeling appreciated.

Not being active

When working from home, being active is not an easy task. When you get up in the morning, the first stop is the kitchen and from there the desk. What follows is hours of meetings and very little else.

Remote workers are becoming overweight because they do not move around as much as they used to. This is compounded by irregular working hours. To get out of the sitting habit, they have to work extra hard and make conscious decisions to take regular breaks and walk around.

Not sleeping regularly

Remote working is difficult in terms of managing a workday. It often happens that meetings creep into the night and when the day is done, they struggle to switch off. Staring at a screen the whole day and being exposed to blue light for prolonged periods, messes with circadian rhythms and renders the worker sleepless.

When the morning comes, they are not well-rested and a downward spiral ensues. To counter the effects of blue light, companies and remote workers have started to invest in blue light filters to help them get regular sleep.

Not getting enough sunlight

Remote workers find sunlight to be an annoyance. It causes their screens to glare and hurts their eyes. Naturally, they draw the blinds and shut out the only bit of natural light that they see during the day.

As a result, their Vitamin D production halts, and their immune systems take a dive. What not many people know is that sunlight is also linked to weight loss. Exposure to sunlight between 8 AM and noon has been shown to increase metabolism and lower BMI.

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