After a short night, sitting tall can feel like hard work. Your body sinks lower in your chair, your head feels heavy and your focus drifts. There’s a good reason for this, and it isn’t a lack of effort.

Tiredness affects your body’s balance

Staying upright is something your brain manages constantly, making tiny adjustments to keep you balanced. Research has found that sleep loss makes this harder, with people swaying more and controlling their position less well after a short night. Your muscles may also tire sooner. So when you’re tired, your body looks for the position that takes the least effort.

Letting your chair do the work

On tired days, you don’t need to hold yourself upright. Leaning back into your backrest, with your bottom at the back of the seat, lets your chair support you. This is a comfortable option, not a failure to sit tall.

Resetting more often

On tired days, you may drift into a slouch more quickly. Rather than fighting it, you could change position more often. Short bursts of movement, like standing up or walking to get a drink, can also help you feel more alert.

Daylight and sleep

Getting daylight during the day, especially in the morning, is linked with better sleep at night. A short walk outside at lunchtime could help both your energy and your sleep.

Using your goal videos

Your goal videos include a quick reset and gentle movements that can help you feel more awake. The 30-second VIDA videos are handy for a quick lift.

Something to try this week

On a tired day, sit back into your backrest and set a cue, like finishing an email, to stand up and move.

What to take away

• Lean back into your backrest on tired days.
• Change position more often when you’re tired.
• Take short bursts of movement.
• Get daylight during the day.

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