You must have already noticed that some office chair manufacturers include headrests with their office chairs while others don’t. A few months back, I was confused if I really needed a headrest or not. So I used both office chairs with and without headrests for a while, and I also did some digging to find out if office chairs really should have headrests.
Should Office Chairs have Headrests? YES!! Having a decent headrest can be a great way to rest head and neck muscles while working at a desk for long hours. Also, it will indirectly improve productivity and sitting posture. However, some office chairs with incorrect headrest placement can lead head muscles to sore.
If you need more help to make up your mind, this article will be your definitive guide. Ahead, we’ll define headrest and then discuss in detail, which will clear all confusion regarding headrests. We’ll even offer some pointers on how to attach a headrest to any office chair that doesn’t have any headrests.
Does a Headrest Really Help?
Since I have a desk job, I spend more than 6 hours daily (except for the weekends) sitting and working at my desk.
I have used both office chairs with and without headrests. I think I kinda feel more comfortable with office chairs with headrests and that lets me focus more at my work rather than myself.
It’s like when you are working in front of your desk or a computer, it becomes easier to focus more on your work.
I did a little survey to see if an office chair with a headrest is more preferable to people or not. The result is as follows:
About 78% of people think that sitting in an office chair with a headrest is more comfortable. This suggests most people prefer an office chair with a headrest over any office chair without it.
I have personally found headrests to be genuinely helpful. So let’s discuss the benefits that I have found from using an office chair with a headrest. Shall we!!
Benefits of Having an Office Chair Headrest:
Encourages to Sit More Upright:
While sitting on an ergonomic office chair with a headrest, it feels like having a headrest encourages you to sit more upright. We tend to sit with proper posture initially while sitting. But after a while when our neck and shoulder muscle gets tired, we tend to slouch without even knowing.
But if your chair has a headrest, unconsciously, you will use the headrest when your muscle gets fatigued. I have noticed this myself several times.
Instead of bending forward and slouching, having a headrest ensures that you are leaning back and resting your head in an upright position which is ergonomically more appealing than slouching.
When you use an office chair without a headrest for long hours, it’s natural to slouch or hunch forward after a while. But if your office chair has a headrest, you will effortlessly sit more upright, and sitting like that might help you with your posture.
I have a whole article on Slouching; make sure you check that out if you want to know more if slouching is actually bad for you.
Provides More Adjustability:
In my opinion, more adjustability equals more comfort and ease. Do you know why ergonomic chairs are more comfortable than regular or standard office chairs? That’s because they have lots of adjustable features.
So, having a headrest leaves more room for adjustments. Almost all modern ergonomic office chairs provide adjustable headrest. This lets the user adjust the headrest at any angle and height as per requirement.
That means you will be able to customize the position of the headrest according to the need of your body to provide you more support whenever you need it.
Therefore, in the case of ergonomic chairs, having a headrest means more adjustability, and that suggests more comfortability.
Relieves from Neck muscle aches:
As I have noted earlier, I have a desk job, and I spend more than six hours daily sitting and working at my desk in front of a computer.
If you also spend lots of time sitting, you will notice that neck muscles often become fatigued, and sometimes the ache can be so intense that you just want to rest your neck and head for a few minutes.
This is where a headrest gets interesting and useful. The headrest will give you a surface to rest your head and neck muscles when you feel any sort of discomfort while working at your desk or gaming.
In times when work pressure is like a lot, and I have to sit for prolonged hours, I have found that headrests can relieve neck pain to a great extent.
Rest your Head and Neck more Conveniently:
This point is actually a continuation of the previously discussed point. As I have noted earlier, a headrest allows you to rest your head and neck muscles from time to time by providing you a surface to rest against.
Yeah, a headrest is nothing but a surface to rest your head and neck. When you lean on the headrest, the muscles on your neck get a rest as the weight of your head is supported by it and your muscles get a break. This can help your neck muscles to reduce fatigues and provide more convenience than you can think of.
Improves Overall Comfortability:
Well, ultimately, the headrest is reliving your muscle ache on the neck, supporting your head. Then as we discussed earlier, it helps you to sit more upright. Besides, it also provides more room for adjustability for ergonomic chairs.
As I have already mentioned that more adjustability is directly proportional to comfortability, we can conclude without any doubt that having a headrest will surely improve your overall comfortability and enhance your sitting experience.
Increases Productivity of Work:
Headrests will allow you to sit more comfortably for long hours. When you sit more comfortably, it will be easier for you to work more conveniently, and your productivity will reach its peak.
That being said, you will need less time to spend on yourself, and you will be able to focus better on your work. This suggests that your productivity at work will become better and you will be more efficient at work for sure.
Can you add a headrest to an office chair?
The answer is a resounding YES!! Adding a headrest to an office chair is very easy these days. The Problem is ergonomic office chairs with adjustable headrests can be expensive. So, adding a headrest to your regular office chair can be the next best thing.
I have found a good and inexpensive headrest on Amazon; you can check it out by clicking here. The interesting thing about this headrest is you can fit this one in any chair with screws, and it will cost you around 20 bucks only. Considering all the benefits that a headrest can provide, I think that’s a great deal.
Related Questions:
Why don’t Herman Miller chairs have headrests?
I have read several articles on this topic. What I have found is that The manufacturer thinks that headrest is not necessarily used much by the people and that’s why they don’t include it with their chairs. However, I have found that there are original headrest addons for this chair. These addons are very popular on Amazon.
Can you add a headrest to Steelcase Leap?
Yes, The headrest that I have mentioned above can be attached to a Steelcase leap as well. However, Steelcase leap already has variants with headrests. Buying that is probably the best idea, then attaching a new one.
Should I get a Chair with Neck Support?
Yes, you should get a chair with neck support if you spend long hours sitting on your chair. Neck support will reduce neck muscles fatigues, and you will feel more comfortable, and this will let you focus better on your work.
Final Thoughts:
There you go! I think office chairs must have headrests. But some people underestimate the importance of headrests.
It provides extra support for the neck and your head, which I find very helpful.
Also according to my survey, the majority of people prefer an office chair with headrests.
Thanks for reading! Before you go, take a minute and check out my article, Best Budget Office Chair with Headrest: A Complete Guide
