Working from home – what's it doing to our health?

But that’s not been without its challenges. Like many who suddenly found themselves swapping hot desking in Soho for horizontal working on the sofa, I saw just how quickly bad habits can build up. Once I realised home working was part of my future, I began incorporating workouts as meetings in my calendar, setting up a proper workstation and making myself nutritious lunches.

So, since the working world drastically changed five years ago, has this new way of working quietly wrecked our health?

From diet to movement, mood to musculoskeletal mayhem, the long-term effects of this lifestyle shift are starting to emerge. We asked the experts to weigh in.

What has happened to our diet?

One survey found that 52 per cent of home-based UK workers eat more indulgent foods during their working day, and it seems that the close proximity to our own fridges could be to blame.

“Working from home means the fridge is never far away and that can blur true hunger cues,” explains functional nutritionist Hannah Calow. “It’s easy to snack out of boredom or habit rather than need, which can leave us feeling sluggish and unsatisfied.

And it’s not just that extra snacking, home working structures can often mean irregular mealtimes, a reliance on grazing, and quick-caffeine fixes.

“When structure goes, so does blood sugar balance,” Calow adds. “Grazing through the day instead of eating regular, balanced meals can lead to energy crashes, brain fog and those mid-afternoon sugar cravings.”

But it’s not all bad news. Working from home inevitably means you’re likely to eat more home-cooked food, which can mean better ingredients and more balanced meals if you actually make the effort.

And there are some simple ways you can build simple structure into your day, according to Calow.

1. Start with a proper breakfast

A balanced meal with protein, healthy fats and fibre sets the tone for stable energy and fewer cravings later.

2. Build in meal cues

Without the usual commute or lunch break signal it’s easy to forget. Set up reminders or tie meals into natural pauses in your day.

3. Keep nourishing snacks visible

What you see is what you eat, so place a big bowl of fruit, boiled eggs or pre-cut veggies at eye level in the fridge.

4. Batch prep for success

Batch-cooking a pot of soup, slow-cooking, roasting veggies or prepping overnight oats means you’ve always got a healthy option on hand when time is tight.

5. Beat the 3pm slump

Instead of heading for another coffee or a biscuit, try a stretch, some water or a snack packed with health fats and protein.

6. Enjoy caffeine with care

That extra cup mid-morning can sneak in without you realising. Try to stick to one or two cups before noon and then switch to herbal teas to avoid any afternoon jitters or sleep disruptions.

7. Create a hydration station

We often confuse thirst for hunger, especially when we’re at home with constant food access. Keep a jug or bottle on your desk – adding mint, cucumber or berries can make it more tempting and nutritious.

What has happened to our fitness?

Remember walking? We used to do it – to the station, around the office, to a cafe and back. Now the longest journey many of us make in our working day is from bed to desk. In fact, according to Sport England, physical activity levels dropped during the first year of home working and still haven’t returned to pre-pandemic levels. Step counts have flatlined and gym attendance remains lower than 2019.

“Working from home has significantly reduced something that we call ‘non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT)’, which is the energy expended through everyday activities outside of formal exercise and sleep,” explains Dr David Porter, ex-Chelsea FC first team doctor and founder of performance health clinic Opus. “It encompasses all the calories burned whilst we walk from one office to another or climb a set of stairs, cleaning, standing and even fidgeting. The WFH population see a demonstrable decrease in their step counts compared to when they would commute to an office each day.”

However, a key advantage of WFH – flexibility – does often give individuals more time and freedom to integrate workouts into their day. Pre-work HIIT sessions, lunchtime strength classes and an early evening run can be much more achievable when you’re not adding office commuting into your daily schedule.

“It also allows for more personalised routines, potentially improving adherence and consistency and ultimately long-term fitness outcomes,” adds Dr Porter, who also shares solid advice for future-proofing your health while working remotely.

“I advise patients to build structure into their day: firstly, start your morning with exposure to natural light which spikes your cortisol levels, boosting your immune system and focus. Schedule movement breaks every 30-60 minutes, invest in an ergonomic setup and vary postures with standing desks or active seating. I am constantly told by my patients that their standing desk is a 'lifesaver' but I'd argue that it is a 'joint saver'. Regular resistance and mobility training is essential to counteract sedentary patterns and joint imbalances. I would always recommend starting simple, don't make too many exercise plans or design gym sessions that are too advanced.”

What has happened to our mental health?

On paper, WFH should be good for the mind: fewer stressful commutes, slower and more mindful starts to the day and far more control of our schedule. And for some (me included) it has been beneficial. But unfortunately, flexibility has come at a cost – and not everyone thrives in the often lonesome life of home working.

“One of the most immediate positives people experience from remote or hybrid working is relief from the stressors of commuting and rigid office environments. This extra time and space can allow for greater flexibility, which is a huge benefit for many people, but especially groups such as parents or those with caring responsibilities,” says registered psychologist Dr Kirstie Fleetwood-Meade.

“Being able to work autonomously is a great benefit for employees – feeling able to do your own work creates more job satisfaction, whilst feeling micromanaged and not able to make your own choices is a key predictor of burnout.”

While I enjoy the office environment, I love flexibility and find I can be at my most productive at home. WFH has also allowed me to create healthier routines – a midday dog walk, a mid-morning gym class and better food choices. But I’m not blind to the challenges either. Whereas my flat in London was once a no-work sanctuary, I now live where I work and at times the boundaries between work and rest can blur. It’s not uncommon for me to work late in the evenings, struggling to switch off properly.

“The consequence of this is that our nervous system doesn’t get a chance to regulate. This would often happen during our commute home from work, where we would have time to process our thoughts from the day and have both physical and mental distance from work,” explains Dr Fleetwood-Meade. “With our nervous systems being chronically activated, I have seen clients who feel increased anxiety and stress, difficulty switching off and even burnout.”

Dr Fleetwood-Meade’s 5 tips for regular home workers:

• Create transition rituals that mimic the natural transitions of the workday that can help signal to the body and mind when work begins and ends.
• Develop mind-body connection with regular somatic check-ins (like a quick body scan) to help notice where you’re holding tension – adding in some belly breaths and gentle stretching can help regulate the nervous system.
• Intentionally nurture social bonds, whether that’s scheduled video chats, co-working calls or in-person meet-ups where possible. This can support emotional resilience and help regulate feelings of loneliness.
• Set compassionate boundaries and connect to your values. Remember that you wouldn’t be working constantly in the office. Try to structure your day in a way that that honours your energy and respects your need for rest.
• Listen to your internal system. We are all different and may experience different pros and cons to WFH. Take time to notice for yourself – is WFH causing a part of you to be more of a perfectionist, and always on? Is part of you feeling lonely, and would benefit from an extra day a week in the office, or more scheduled online connections? Understanding more about ourselves, and finding ways to meet these needs, can be a powerful guide to maintaining emotional balance while working from home.

What’s happening to our bones and joints?

When most of us swapped our office chairs for our sofas in March 2020, we probably didn’t realise that WFH would begin taking on the meaning of ‘working from horizontal’. One of the most overlooked effects of remote working seems to be the toll it takes on our joints.

The average person now spends around nine hours a day seated – often with poor ergonomics and no breaks. So, there’s no surprise there has been a reported spike in back and neck problems.

“WFH can often mean makeshift workstations such as dining tables, sofas, or even beds and none of these are designed for ergonomic support,” warns Dr Porter. “Over time, this can lead to chronic poor posture, such as forward head and neck position and rounded shoulders.”

“Sitting for prolonged periods can significantly impact posture,” adds Michelle D’Onofrio, pilates instructor and director at Yatta Studio. “Slouching can lead to rounded shoulders, a forward head posture and an increased curve in the lower back. Excessive time sitting in these environments can also cause muscle imbalances and weakness, particularly in the hip flexors, back and core muscles.”

However, there are some really simple and effective solutions to looking after your body when working from home, and daily desktop yoga could be key according to yoga instructor and founder of Yoga for Pain, Sophia Drozd.

“Yoga is a brilliant practise for home workers as it increases the understanding of oneself, improving body and mind awareness. So, you will become more aware over time of your body forming poor postural habits,” she explains.

Three desktop yoga poses:

1. Seated twist:

Have your feet firmly on the floor, sit with a tall spine, gently twist to one side, keeping your feet grounded and glutes on the base of your chair. Use your hands on the arms of the chair, or reach one hand behind the chair, to deepen your twist. Look to the side or over your shoulder to deepen further. You may feel your breath shorten; allow time for the breath to navigate this hold, taking long steady breaths in and out of the nose. Hold the twist for five breaths and remember to complete on the opposite side.

2. Seated fold:

Roll or push your chair back from the desk, keeping your feet grounded and hinge at the hips. As you fold forward, bring your elbows to the top of the desk and hands together. Continue folding until you feel a deep stretch in your back, under your upper arms and into your chest. Only go as far as feels comfortable. Breathing as you fold, you can go as far as hanging your head between your arms if that feels good. Hold for around five to 10 breaths.

3. Seated pigeon:

Start with the feet grounded and legs at a 90 degree angle, slowly lift one leg and place that foot on the opposite thigh. If you want to explore more depth you can gently press the lifted knee away from you with your hand to continue opening space in the hips and groin. Don't forget to repeat this pose on the opposite side and hold for around five to 10 breaths.

The final verdict

While working from home hasn’t broken us completely, it has revealed just how much our health relies on structure we didn’t even notice – the stairs to the station, the chatty colleague who got us moving, the simple ritual of leaving the house each day. Without it, many of us are more sedentary, more snack-happy and more silently stressed than ever.

But here’s the thing; WFH isn’t inherently bad. It can offer incredible opportunities for improved nutrition, movement and mental wellbeing, but you have to put in the groundwork and actively build in habits to support those outcomes. Left unchecked, sadly it can become a health saboteur.

If, like me, you are a WFH regular, the onus is on us to build in those habits that used to happen by default – the movement, the scheduled breaks, protecting our mental bandwidth. The good news? Small tweaks go a long way. So no, working from home isn’t the enemy of your health, but apathy might be.

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