Ergonomics and Energy

Ergonomics is crucial for physical comfort because it adapts work environments to human movement and capabilities. Thoughtful posture and positioning can help reduce strain from prolong sitting, repetitive tasks, or awkward movements, supporting more in ease in the back, neck, and wrists, and promoting overall comfort and blood flow. 

Have you ever been guided by a physical therapist? Small adjustments – like a little nudge here or a slight pull there – can help your body find a more natural stance. Posture that encourages neutral body alignment, typically involves shoulders back, feet flat, and hips slightly tucked. When seated at a computer or in front of a screen, neutral alignment positions the screen at eye level. Maintaining this alignment can help the body feel more comfortable and reduce the sensation of fatigue.

Supporting posture also contributes to mental well-being. When your body feels supported, stress levels can feel lower, which may help you feel more focused and energized. Proper alignment can even make breathing easier by allowing the lungs to expand fulling, while keeping the head and neck in a comfortable position to reduce tension from leaning forward.

In the world of ergonomics, there something called the 30-30-30 rule. This is a strategy that can help reduce strain. For the eyes, look at something 30 feet away for 30 seconds every 30 minutes. This strategy is designed to give your eyes a break. For the body, take 30-second micro-breaks every 30 minutes by standing and stretching to help support blood flow and the effects of prolonged sitting.1

Although ergonomics is defined by the Oxford dictionary as “the study of people’s efficiency in their working environment,” it’s not just about selecting the right desk or chair at the right height. It also includes choosing mattresses and pillows that support the body at rest, especially since a third of every day is spent asleep or trying to sleep! How well you sleep can affect how well you feel and how much energy you may have the next day. Ergonomics therefore plays an important role in helping to maintain comfort and energy levels throughout the day.

Nikken supports posture and rest with products designed for day and night. The KenkoSeat® II is designed to help promote good posture and conveniently fits on chairs as well as in cars. The Kenko Sleep Systems and the ergonomically designed Kenko Naturest® Makura pillow provide support during rest, helping you wake up feeling ready for the day ahead.

1 https://www.american.edu/finance/environmental-health/upload/ergonomics-checklist.pdf

Take Care of Yourself and Stay Healthy

This Fourth of July, our thoughts of freedom may be more pronounced. For those of us who were born into a life of freedom, these trying times may be as close as we come to not experiencing freedom as we know it. Those who enjoy partying, dining out and group activities in general are particularly vulnerable to feelings of deprivation and depression with the current state of affairs. Even homebodies may be craving some human closeness with all the social distancing we have been practicing.

Nikken just launched three products priced at only cost and handling to help us maintain Active Wellness through these trying times and beyond—Kenzen® Face Mask, Kenzen® Hand Sanitizer and Kenzen® Surface Cleaner. The Nikken mission has always been to produce exceptional products that help us create a Wellness Home but some are especially designed to help us maintain indoor health and our sense of independence.

This entire month of July, three items that can help us make the best of indoor living are available at a 20% discount with no purchase limits. They are KenkoSeat® II, KenkoGround®, and KenkoTouch®. Here’s a summary of why they help you maintain Active Wellness while staying indoors:

  • KenkoSeat® II addresses the issue of sitting. Excessive sitting is believed to cause slow metabolism, compromised posture, increased back injuries, chronic pain and many other health risks.1 KenkoSeat II does not pretend to fix any of these issues; however, it is designed to help promote proper posture while seated and is made of breathable materials for ventilation. The Kenko PowerButton® with patented Dynaflux® technology, 100% latex core and 100% nylon cover are a trifecta of back support and relief. (I personally have sat on one for many years as I commuted 84 round trip miles a day and truly believe KenkoSeat II has helped sustain my back.)
  • KenkoGround® serves as an indoor and portable way to reconnect with Mother Nature. When you cannot sink your feet into real sand, soil, grass or sea water, KenkoGround is the next best thing to help connect with natural energy sources. In these times when even children too often use multiple electronic devices, KenkoGround under our feet when seated or sleeping, draped around our shoulders or touching our skin in some way, can help “ground” us.
  • KenkoTouch® helps us take care of our massage needs ourselves. It’s a simple handheld way to de-stress and help loosen tight muscles. With three speed settings, the same patented DynaFlux® technology found in the KenkoSeat II extends depth of field for greater penetration of the solenoid reciprocating massage.

All of us at Nikken wish you a safe Fourth of July!

1 https://www.businessinsider.com/14-horrible-things-that-can-happen-if-you-sit-at-your-desk-for-too-long-2014-3