How Long You Should Sit In A Day? According To The Chair Types

Sitting for long hours on chairs, especially the ones that are not ergonomic enough, can cause health issues.

These issues can be mild at times like fatigues and exhaustion but in the long term, you might face consequences like back pain, spinal dysfunction, and exhaustion.

All this also badly affects your productivity!

To make the best use of your sitting duration, you should know how healthy are different chairs with respect to the duration you use them for.

Here, we will examine different types of chairs and mention how long you should sit in a day on them. We will also explain the tasks that are best suited to do with those chairs.

Length of Seating According To Chair Types

Chair Type	Ideal Length of Seating
Ergonomic Desk Chairs	7-8 Hours
Executive Chairs	10-12 Hours
Gaming Chairs	Around 10 Hours
Drafting Chairs	2-3 Hours
Recliners	Almost Entire Day
Arm Chairs	3-4 Hours
Rocking Chairs	Around 2 Hours
Glider Chairs	3-4 Hours
Zero Gravity Chairs	4-5 Hours
Ghost Chairs	1-2 Hours

Ergonomic Desk Chairs

Also known vaguely as computer chairs or 24 hours chairs, these are the most recommended chairs when it comes to sitting for long hours.

Ergonomic office chairs are specifically helpful for formal things as they help you get through 7-8 hours of work or study.

Offices buy it to not put their employees at the risk of back pain and fatigue.

The most significant thing about this chair is its back. It conforms to your upper body and gives you ample support.

The back either made up of mesh or leather. The leather ones feel more comfortable but it can cause sweating in the summers. The same happens with the seat.

Seats on ergonomic chairs are well padded and there is absolutely no pressure point on your buttocks. The seat front side features a waterfall design to keep your thighs and back of the knee relaxed.

The swivel and the movability also make the chair ideal for sitting long hours and you can have enough movement to keep you charged throughout the day.

Executive chairs

Out of all the chairs we are examining here, you will probably be able to keep up on the executive chairs for the longest duration.

If the correct posture is maintained and do some movement at times, you can sit for up to 10-12 hours on this chair. The chair has very tough built and has a good weight capacity.

You mostly see thick foam padding in these chairs upholstered with leather that makes them the most comfortable chairs among all the formal office chairs.

Some executive chairs come with adjustable headrests and for your arms, they have well-padded armrests.

Gaming Chairs

As we see how almost all the popular gamers and other streamers on YouTube and Twitch have made gaming chairs trendy, people are using gaming chair as an alternative to office chairs.

Though there are unnecessary designs on a gaming chair, just to make it more attractive and unique for gamers, it surely is a very comfortable chair.

Other than gaming, if you are into writing, editing, or music production, the chair can help you sit for around 10 hours without putting your spine and legs at risk.

The lower back, the spine, the neck, and headrest, all find a relaxing home in a gaming chair. You don’t slouch much as you get a better alternative or sitting comfortably and that is good for your health.

If you feel tired while working, gaming chair with footrest let you take a comfortable nap. Most of these chairs have holders for liquids and pockets for your important stuff like phones, journals, chargers, etc.

You can also find gaming chairs that have Bluetooth connectivity to play music.

Drafting Chairs

Drafting chairs are meant to be placed behind standing desk or big desk at the reception of offices, libraries, hospitals, hotels, etc.

These chairs are usually smaller in size and feature the minimum amount of ergonomics. The back of the chair won’t support your whole upper body but the seat is decent.

Compared to office chairs, drafting chairs are for short duration and can accommodate you comfortably for 2-3 hours only if you are continuously sitting on the chair.

But people who use it have to frequently stand up from their seats and address the visitors while standing. So, it isn’t much of a problem when they have long hours working shifts.

Recliners

Recliners have been around for a long time and the TV show “FRIENDS” popularized them around the world.

Out of all the chairs, these are the most comfortable ones you will ever find. You can sit and chill on these chairs and watch TV almost all day long and the only thing you might have to worry about is gaining weight.

When you feel tired on your feet, you can bring out the footrest and feel relaxed. You can even sleep on a recliner.

But remember that some recliners have bad lumbar support. It might be dangerous for your lower back after a while. Other than that, recliners are cozy and extremely thick padded. Look out for it’s main features while choosing a recliner.

Arm Chair

Arm chairs too are quite comfortable to sit on, just like the recliners are. But on these, you won’t get to lie down by reclining the back.

There is no footrest as well on these chairs. The ideal duration to sit on an armchair would depend on the type and quality of the material used in the construction.

A well-made armchair with a well-padded and not too-deep seat can keep you comfortably for 3-4 hours.

The more is not possible because the armchair does not allow much movement and the lumbar support is also lacking in these chairs.

Rocking Chairs

Rocking chairs are of different types and all of them have unique built designs. Depending on the design and material used on the seat like wooden or metallic, they offer different comfortability.

But any good rocking chair will let you sit for around 2 hours and that should be enough for the purpose that rocking chairs serve.

Most rocking chairs are meant to provide movement to your whole body as mild exercise. It cures sleep deprivation among elderly people and ensures smooth blood flow in things and legs.

To make the chair more comfortable and sit for long hours, you will have to make a few changes on the chair like getting a thick pad for the seat and adding lumbar support.

Glider Chairs

A lot of people consider glider chairs to rocking chairs. But the build here is a bit different than the traditional rocking chairs and the movement here is front and back in the air, unlike the rocking chairs that rock in an arc.

Glider chairs are more comfortable than the rocking chairs we discussed above.

With its heavy upholstery and swinging motion, one can sit on Glider chairs for 3-4 hours. These chairs are used by mothers for nursing their babies but you too can buy them for a comfortable sitting experience.

Some glider chairs come with an ottoman where you can rest your feet!

Zero Gravity Chairs

Zero gravity chairs are among the chair types that are specifically used for relaxation and they release stress from your body and make your muscles energized.

These chairs have mechanisms similar to the recliners but without any padding. You can relax on them for 4-5 hours without feeling any pressure point on your body.

Ghost Chairs

Ghost chairs are more about the idea of a transparent chair and less about the reality of having a chair to sit on.

Though they look amazing in minimal and luxurious setups, these chairs are not that comfortable. One can hardly sit in the ghost chair for an hour or two. It does not have good support at the back and the seat is also unbearable for a long duration because of the stiffness.

Ghost chairs are mostly used as decorative pieces at art or designer studios or as decorative pieces at homes. But people do sit on them often. To make these chairs more comfortable these chairs also need a seat pad.

Conclusion

These were some of the most popular chairs used worldwide. Using experts’ suggestions and our own experience, we shared details about how long you should sit in a day on each type of chair.

However, the ideal sitting duration on a chair can vary a lot depending on the material used in making the chair.

If you love a chair type but are not satisfied with its comfortability, you can always make changes to it to make it more suitable for you. Just adding a pillow at the back for lumbar support increases the comfortable sitting duration of the chair.