Tension: three tips for day and night.

Eight hours at a desk, physically demanding work or doing the same tasks over and over: your body faces different demands every day. Without movement and balance, your neck, shoulders or back often start to complain. Sometimes during work, sometimes only in the evening. And sometimes at night, when your body should really be resting.

Three approaches can help ease the strain on your back in everyday life: moving more throughout the day, getting professional support if discomfort persists, and sleeping in a position that supports your body well.

1. Movement breaks: help prevent tension from sitting for too long.

Sitting for long periods and holding the same posture put strain on your back, neck and shoulders. So if you spend many hours at a desk, change position regularly and build movement into your working day.

Even short breaks can loosen your muscles and interrupt rigid postures. There is no single perfect sitting posture. What matters more is changing position often and avoiding long periods in the same posture.

Here are a few ways to move more throughout the day:

• Stand up regularly and walk a few steps.

• Alternate between sitting and standing, if your workplace allows it.

• Relax your shoulders and gently move your neck from time to time.

• Adjust your desk and chair to the right height.

• Make walks or other forms of exercise a regular part of your everyday routine.

Movement breaks are not a substitute for treatment. But they are a good first step towards balancing one-sided strain. Even if your back already hurts, the advice is to: stay as active as possible, which is generally better than taking it easy or staying in bed.

2. Physiotherapy and ergonomics: address discomfort in a targeted way.

If tension or back pain keeps coming back, lasts for a long time or interferes with your everyday life, ask a doctor to find out what is causing it. If discomfort does not ease after a few weeks or gets worse, further tests may be useful.

Depending on the cause, physiotherapy can help you become more mobile, strengthen your muscles in a targeted way and change unfavourable movement patterns. For chronic lower back pain, movement is considered the most effective treatment. Massages can help you relax in the short term, but they are no substitute for active therapy that builds strength, mobility and resilience.

It is also worth taking a look at your workplace. Ergonomic advice can help you adapt it to your needs, for example with a height-adjustable desk, a suitable office chair and a well-considered arrangement of your screen and work materials.

Our tip: Don’t wait until tension becomes a daily companion. If discomfort keeps coming back or gets worse, seek expert advice and tailor the measures to your situation.

3. Rest at night: how your mattress and pillow support your back.

While you sleep, your body recovers from the demands of the day. If pain or tension keeps you from sleeping well, you may not feel rested in the morning.

Your sleep habits matter, as does what you lie on. A mattress or pillow that does not suit your body can noticeably affect your comfort. That’s why it’s worth taking a closer look at your bed.

Mattress: support where your body needs it.

A good mattress supports your body where it needs support and relieves pressure where it builds up. It is neither so soft that you sag nor so firm that your shoulders and pelvis cannot sink in.

The right mattress for you depends on your body weight, body shape, sleep position and personal feel. The goal: when you lie on your side, your spine forms a straight line; when you lie on your back, it follows its natural shape.

Pillow: position your head and neck correctly.

Your pillow helps determine how your head and cervical spine are positioned while you sleep. Even a difference of just a few centimetres in pillow height changes pressure distribution and the alignment of your cervical spine. A suitable pillow supports your neck without lifting your head too high or letting it sink too far.

When you lie on your side, your pillow needs to fill the gap between your shoulder and your head. That is why side sleepers usually need a higher pillow than back sleepers. The right height depends on your shoulder width and on how deeply your shoulder sinks into the mattress. So always consider your mattress and pillow together.

Signs it may be worth taking a closer look at your bed.

• You regularly wake up with tension in your neck or back.

• You find it hard to get comfortable at night.

• Your body sinks too deeply in some places or feels uncomfortable against the sleep surface.

• You sleep restlessly and often feel exhausted in the morning.

These signs do not prove that your mattress or pillow is the cause. But they are a good reason to take a closer look at your sleep setup and other possible causes.

Keep moving during the day, and lie comfortably at night.

Most tension does not develop in a day, and it does not disappear overnight. Often, it’s the little things that make a difference: taking the stairs instead of the lift, adjusting your chair to the right height, or finding a pillow that finally suits your shoulder. Start with whatever feels easiest.