Let us be honest, almost everyone works or scrolls in bed sometimes. It is warm, it is comfy, and no chair has ever felt this good. The trouble is that beds are built for lying down, not for looking at a screen, so a cosy half hour can leave your neck grumbling. The good news is you can get away with it, with a few small tweaks.

Your head is heavier than it feels

Your head weighs roughly 5kg, about the same as a bowling ball, and your neck holds it up all day without complaint when it sits nicely balanced on top of your spine. Propped up in bed, though, the screen usually ends up down on your lap, so your head tips forward to meet it. The further forward it goes, the harder the muscles at the back of your neck have to work to stop it dropping. Hold that for an hour and they are doing a quiet, constant workout they never signed up for.

Bring the screen up, not your neck down

The fix is to close that gap between your eyes and the screen. You could try stacking a couple of firm pillows on your lap and resting the laptop on those, so the screen rises closer to eye level and your head can stay more upright. A lap desk or a large book does the same job. It looks a little silly, but your neck will not mind the look.

Build yourself a proper backrest

Semi-lying, half propped against a soft pillow, tends to slide you into a slump before long. Instead, you could sit right up against the headboard and pack pillows in behind your lower back so it feels supported rather than caved in. A pillow under your knees stops you slowly sliding down the bed, which keeps the whole setup from collapsing into a slouch ten minutes later.

Watch the front-lying trap

Lying on your front, propped up on your elbows with the laptop ahead of you, feels natural but cranks your neck backwards and parks all your weight on your shoulders and elbows. It is fine for a quick look at something. For anything longer, it is worth rolling over and sitting up instead.

Keep it a short stay

Bed is best thought of as a short-stint spot rather than a full office. Whatever the setup, your neck and back will thank you for getting up to move or stretch every so often. If your neck or the front of your chest feels tight after a while curled over a screen, VIDA has a short guided stretch video you can follow at your own pace to open things back up.

A quick checklist to get going

• Raise the screen towards eye level with pillows, a lap desk or a book.
• Sit up against the headboard with pillows supporting your lower back.
• Pop a pillow under your knees so you do not slide into a slump.
• Save front-lying on your elbows for quick looks, not long sessions.
• Get up to move or stretch every half hour or so.

‍