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Nowadays, a large majority of people work for hours behind a screen, and practically every day. Many rightly ask themselves whether the height positioning of the screen can have an impact on their health?
It is clear that more and more people suffer from neck pain, shoulder tension, burning eyes, or headaches. It is also a fact that many of these ailments are triggered by the monitor, especially by its positioning, which unfortunately often has an incorrect ergonomic height.
What needs to be considered when setting the correct height for computer monitors?
Basically, the correct height of a computer monitor or even a laptop screen has a profound impact on your health! It is therefore of great importance to adjust the monitor in such a way that an ergonomic working environment can be guaranteed and pain-free working is ensured.
Since an optimal screen workstation does not only depend on the ergonomic height, but consists of a mix of different factors, the following points should also be taken into account:
- Location of the screen
- Height of the computer monitor
- Distance to the screen
- Central field of vision to the monitor
- Tilt of the computer monitor
- Screen display
- Arrangement with multiple monitors
- How is a laptop positioned?
- Where are the work tools positioned?
Location of the screen
Before you start adjusting the height of your screen correctly, you need to find a suitable location for it to effectively ensure an ergonomic working environment.
A monitor should never be placed directly in front of a window, otherwise your eyes can be dazzled by the large differences in light between outside and inside and suffer from strain.
The reverse is also not recommended: if the light from the window comes directly from behind you, it can cause reflections on the monitor, which in turn strains your eyes.
An optimal positioning is next to the window at a 90° angle or in such a way that daylight falls sideways onto the workstation without creating light reflections on the computer monitor.
If you do not currently have optimal lighting, change the position of your workstation. It can be absolutely worthwhile to move or turn your desk. If you have no other option than to work directly in front of or behind a window, reflections can be prevented with an opaque curtain or by closing the blinds.
In some cases, ceiling lights can also cause reflections on the monitor, which should also be avoided.
So make sure that when working with the screen, no reflections are created on the monitor and there are no large differences in light between the monitor and the rest of the working environment.
Height of the computer monitor
A major mistake that I see time and again is that in many cases the monitor is definitely set too high. Often, stacks of copy paper or other devices are placed under the computer monitor. In addition, some people believe that your eyes should be at the same height as the center of the screen, which is absolutely wrong!
Although monitors are getting bigger and wider, as a rule of thumb, you should be able to look about a finger's width over the top edge of the screen with the center of your eyes. Make sure that you are really in your usual sitting posture when adjusting the correct height of the computer monitor.
Basically, a monitor set lower is much less harmful than one set too high. The angle of your gaze should always be tilted slightly downwards, approx. 20 to 30°, so that your cervical spine remains relieved and no muscle pain is generated.
People with reading glasses often make the mistake of pushing their head forward and tilting their neck upwards in order to read better through the focus zone of the glasses. In this case, the correct height for computer monitors would be even lower than in normal cases.
If you want to buy a new monitor, make sure that it can be adjusted in height.
Distance to the screen
Here you can apply the simple rule of thumb:
From your normal ergonomic sitting position that you have while working, you should be able to touch the screen with your fingertips with outstretched arms.
Very often I find that the computer screen is too far back. This then often leads to people having to lean forward more to read well. Inevitably, you end up in the banana position, which can bring a chain reaction of health damage. Very classic in this case are shoulder tension and neck complaints. Often, the lumbar spine and the upper cervical spine are also affected. Therefore, it is all the more important to follow this rule of thumb for screen distance closely.
Central field of vision to the monitor
Furthermore, it is important that you do not sit too far to the left or too far to the right of the center of the screen, otherwise you will be forced to constantly turn your neck or adopt a crooked posture, which in turn can lead to tension.
So make sure that the screen is positioned in front of you in such a way that your gaze falls directly into the center of the screen without twisting your head and when looking straight ahead.
Tilt of the computer monitor
Since the ideal posture is with a slightly downward gaze, the monitor should also be slightly tilted. That is, the top edge slightly further back than the bottom edge, so that your viewing angle is 90° to the screen. This helps the eyes so that both the upper and lower areas of the screen remain easy to read and there is approximately the same viewing distance everywhere.
With a vertical monitor, it is more strenuous for the eyes because the viewing distance in the upper area is closer to the eyes than in the lower area.
If you have a fixed screen that cannot be tilted, you can also simply fold some paper several times and place it under the front of the monitor stand. Make sure that the computer monitor remains stable.
Screen display
When it comes to screen display, it is much more comfortable for the eyes to have a high contrast, such as black text on a white background. This is called positive display, whereas negative display with a dark background and light text is much more tiring for the eyes.
In addition, bright colors should not be used over large areas and the illumination of the monitor itself should be adjusted to ensure good contrast.
Nevertheless, it can happen that your eyes burn after working for a long time. However, this is often due to sitting too concentrated in front of the screen and therefore blinking too little. To remedy this, regular, short breaks during the day are recommended, as well as consciously squeezing your eyes shut several times every now and then.
Studies have also shown that the colors displayed on a monitor even have an impact on sleep. For example, the color blue promotes wakefulness. The more blue there is on a monitor, the less quickly you get tired. However, this also means that if someone works on a blue screen shortly before going to bed, they may subsequently have difficulty falling asleep. It is recommended to use warm light rather than blue tones on the computer monitor before going to bed.
Anarrangement with multiple monitors
The ergonomic question of the correct arrangement for multiple monitors depends on the number and type of screens.
If you work with two screens, you should arrange them directly next to each other and set them at the same height. The shape of the screens should be a semi-circle so that you always have the same viewing distance. It is recommended to set the resolution identically on both monitors, as this is less straining for the eyes.
If you constantly work with two monitors, sit exactly in the middle, i.e. where the two screens touch. While working, try to align yourself so that you always look directly at the active monitor and turn slightly with your office chair, or if you work standing up, consciously turn your whole body a few degrees accordingly.
However, it is different if you have a main screen and only use the second monitor, which can also be a notebook, occasionally. In this situation, the main monitor should be positioned centered in front of you and the second screen immediately adjacent on one side, as close as possible to the main screen. If you still work on the second monitor for longer periods in between, turn your entire body so that you look frontally at the current work screen without having to make unnatural twists.
If the second monitor is a notebook, it is highly recommended to place it on a notebook stand so that the ergonomic height of the monitor is also correctly guaranteed here.
There are people who work with more than two monitors, for example in a control room, on the stock exchange, or other work areas where a lot of information comes together at the same time. Here, too, the monitors should be arranged as directly next to each other or on top of each other as possible. Special monitor mounts can be a great help for this. When working with multiple monitors, try to turn towards the monitor you are looking at. If the screens are on top of each other and your head is inevitably directed more backwards, a headrest on the office chair would be highly recommended to consciously support and relieve the neck.
How is the laptop positioned?
It is a big mistake that many people work for hours with the laptop lying flat on the table. Especially among students or people working in a home office, this non-ergonomic way of working is unfortunately very common. The negative health consequences, such as neck tension and shoulder complaints, can hardly be avoided.
I recommend everyone who works with a notebook for more than one hour per day that it be connected to an external monitor so that the main work takes place on the external monitor. This gives you the correct height of the computer monitor in no time. In this case, an external keyboard and external mouse should also be purchased. Since screens, keyboards, and mice no longer cost the earth, it is absolutely worth making such an investment for an ergonomic working environment, which will certainly help your health.
Anyone who only wants to work with the laptop, without an external screen, should get a laptop stand. Here, too, there are ingenious solutions for little money.
When placing the laptop, pay attention to the same rules as for a normal screen. An external keyboard and external mouse will also be necessary here, but these relatively small costs are out of all proportion to the benefit you will receive from them.
Where are the work tools positioned?
Since you are now sitting linearly to the screen, the work tools should also be aligned accordingly. So also the keyboard directly in front of you, placed in the middle, so that you can type comfortably. The mouse should not be too far out, so that your shoulders do not twist too far outwards.
If you have documents as templates, for example, place them on a document holder if possible and position it between the monitor and the keyboard to ensure linear alignment. Often, documents are placed next to the screen, which quickly leads to tension because the neck has to twist unnaturally for a longer period of time.
Concluding thoughts
In my experience, the ergonomic question of the correct screen height is of central importance and a key topic in ergonomics!
Many people could save themselves countless ailments if they respected the correct height for computer monitors. My experience also shows me how many people were freed from headaches after they just lowered their screen a bit. It is impressive what an impact the correct ergonomic height of a monitor has on the health of the people concerned and how easy this is to implement in practice.
Often I also hear that some people want to adjust their screen, but at the moment they don't have time for it and it is too much effort to clear away all the little towers and structures on which the monitor currently stands. Oh yes, and then there is all the cabling that would have to be laid differently...
When I am present on site with these people, I do not accept such an excuse, but help directly myself to set the correct height of the computer monitor, even if this sometimes causes some astonishment and causes some changes on the work table. Accordingly, I am pleased to hear afterwards how much better the people concerned felt after this "reconstruction". Therefore, I can only warmly recommend that you take action right now and set your monitor to the ergonomically correct height. Your body will quickly thank you for it.
If you want to know even more, you will find a total of 51 detailed tips in my book „Wellness im Büro“ on how you can turn your office into a small paradise.
