Wellness at Work: How Stacked Monitors Improve Health and Well-Being 

What monitor settings do you use daily? The answer is important because the configuration of your monitor has been known to affect muscular activity and user comfort, 

Aside from enhancing your flow state and productivity, those extra screens come with extra benefits like helping you maintain a good posture. For people who spend a lot of time in front of screens, this is welcome news.

Stacked monitors like Mobile Pixel’s Geminos series have ergonomic qualities that help reduce physical strain among users. Check out our products to find the best models.

In this article, we list the ways a stacked monitor setup can promote wellness at work.

Health and Well-Being Benefits From Using Stacked Monitors

Here are five advantages to using these types of monitors:

Reduces Eye Strain

With stacked monitors, the screens are at the center field of your vision, eliminating the need to move the eyes from side to side. Also, placing your monitors at arm’s length positions them at eye level when the body is at rest. This means less exertion for the eyes and less eye strain. 

If you’re experiencing eye irritation, dryness, blurred vision, and headaches, you may be suffering from eye strain. 

Minimizes Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSD)

WMSDs are painful disorders that affect the muscles, ligaments, tendons, nerves, and blood vessels. They are also called repetitive strain injuries or RSIs because they result in the overuse of certain muscles like the neck, shoulders, back, hands, and wrists. 

This is common among workers who spend long hours hunched over their workstations. With well-positioned monitors, professionals get a large screen display without assuming awkward positions like bending forward or sideways or tilting the chin and head up. When there is no pain or discomfort to distract you, you can focus on your work. 

Prevents Potential Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Because of the bigger display area, vertically stacked screens are perfect for documents, spreadsheets, and graphics in portrait orientation. Everything is visible at once so it eliminates the need to toggle between multiple tabs, zoom in and out, and switch back and forth to see reference and edited versions of images or reports. 

This reduces the need for repetitive scrolling and clicking to open and close tabs. These activities make users extend or flex their wrists for long periods. 

Additionally, there is a lower likelihood of developing carpal tunnel syndrome, a progressive syndrome caused by nerve compression in the hand. Carpal tunnel syndrome is characterized by pain, tingling, or numbness in the hand and forearm. If unchecked, it could worsen over time and may require surgery. 

Relieves Stress

Vertically arrange monitors free up space in your work desk, giving you more room to breathe, stretch, or take power naps. It also allows you to do simple arm exercises while sitting which helps with healthy blood circulation, the release of oxytocin, and the regulation of blood sugar levels while preventing lethargy. Stretching the arms and legs can help relieve sore muscles, improving flexibility and our range of motion. 

This monitor arrangement also reduce clutter by seamlessly linking monitors vertically and tidying cables through cable management systems. A clutter-free workstation also helps reduce stress, provides mental clarity, minimizes distraction, and enhances focus.

Improves Posture

A stacked monitor setup at eye level enables users to stare at their screens in a relaxed manner, significantly reducing the need to lean over or tilt the head up and down.  This helps keep the head, neck, and back in neutral positions without straining. 

In addition, this type of setup promotes a more balanced posture and a more symmetrical and comfortable sitting position. This can help develop muscle memory as the body adapts to an upright sitting position. 

How To Position Stacked Monitors for Maximum Health Benefits

Here are some best practices for adjusting your monitors while preserving your health:

• Place the top monitor slightly below eye level between 15 and 30 degrees for a more neutral viewing zone. This will prevent your head from repeatedly tilting upward which can strain the neck.  
• The monitors should sit at arm's length from your face to prevent eye and neck discomfort. This will prevent the need to lean the head forward. This ideal distance also reduces eye strain. 
• Choose monitor sizes between 20 and 30 inches so they fit within your central field of vision. This eliminates the need to look sideways by moving the eyes or turning the head.  
• Place the monitors away from overhead lights or windows to prevent glare and color distortion. 
• Optimize your screen’s display settings and adjust their brightness and contrast to reduce eye strain. 

It may take a few minutes to make the necessary adjustments but they’re well worth it since they can make working easier and more comfortable in the long run.