Dr Emily Prpa: 6 ways to support gut health while working from home

Balancing work and home life can be challenging, especially when both happen under the same roof. Whether you’re new to remote work or experienced, it’s important to consider how working from home can impact your wellbeing, particularly your gut health.

A recent study discovered that 46% of people who switched to working from home during the pandemic reported less exercise, more muscle discomfort, and disrupted sleep patterns. Therefore, prioritising gut health is vital, as it affects much more than digestion—it plays a role in immunity, metabolism, and even mental health. Although remote work has perks like avoiding daily commutes, it can also lead to lifestyle changes that could disrupt gut health if not managed properly.

As a qualified nutritionist, I will share my top 6 tips to help you support your gut health while working from home.

1. Eat fibre-rich foods

Fibre is an essential part of a balanced diet, yet many UK adults consume only around 18g daily, falling short of the recommended 30g. Fibre aids digestion, helps prevent constipation, and feeds the good gut bacteria. A high-fibre diet has also been linked to reduced risks of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers. Plus, fibre helps you feel fuller for longer, reducing the urge to snack on less nutritious foods.

A remote work-friendly way to meet your daily intake is to prepare easy, fibre-packed snacks. For example, keep a bowl of mixed nuts on your desk for easy snacking as well as fresh fruits like apples or berries.

Also, consider meal prepping fibre-rich salads, a chilli made with different types of beans, vegetable soup or overnight wholegrain oats on Sunday night so that you have ready-to-eat, gut-friendly meals during the workweek—perfect for busy remote workers.

2. Try these simple desk-friendly exercises

Research from Kings College London cites that working from home often leads to more prolonged sitting, as employees feel pressured to stay online, reducing natural movement breaks that are common in an office. Extended sitting, especially on makeshift workspaces like sofas, can lead to physical issues such as poor posture.

To stay active and reduce stiffness, take a break from sitting and try these desk exercises:

• Shoulder Shrugs: Lift shoulders to ears, hold briefly, then relax.

• Stationary Curls: Use a small desk weight (for example a water bottle) and curl towards the chest.

• Wrist and Finger Stretches: Extend an arm and gently pull back fingers to relieve tension from constantly typing.

• Neck Stretches: Tilt head to each side to release neck tension caused by looking at screens.
• Seated Marching: Alternate lifting knees while seated to improve circulation.

3. Take a break, walk and talk

To get more movement into your day as a remote worker, try taking work calls on your mobile phone and walking around while you talk. Stepping away from the desk not only benefits physical health but can improve focus and reduce stress, which in turn, helps to support gut health. Breaking up the day with these mini walking breaks helps you recharge.

A study by Stanford researchers Opezzo and Schwartz also highlights that walking can increase creative thinking, with 81% of participants showing improved divergent thinking after a walk. So, if you’re brainstorming or problem-solving with colleagues, take the conversation on the go to boost both creativity and well-being.

4. Prioritise a regular sleep schedule

Researchers found that on average, remote workers save 72 minutes each day by not commuting. This is an excellent opportunity to prioritise a regular sleep schedule for better health. Every night, you should aim to get 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep, as it helps regulate your body’s internal clock and supports a balanced gut microbiome.

Studies show that poor or irregular sleep can negatively impact gut health by increasing stress hormones like cortisol, which can disrupt the gut’s bacterial balance. A regular sleep schedule supports both mental and physical renewal but also aids digestion and overall well-being. So, take advantage of those extra minutes, unwind before bed, and wake up refreshed.

Limit caffeine after midday and avoid alcohol close to bedtime for more restful, undisturbed sleep, which supports gut health. Also, engage in screen-free activities an hour before bed to reduce blue light exposure, which can trick the body into thinking it’s daytime and delay the release of melatonin, the sleep hormone.

5. Hydration is key

It’s easy to forget to drink enough water when working from home as you’re out of your regular office routine and don’t have colleagues around to remind you. Since the human body is made up of about 60% water, hydration is essential yet often overlooked, especially this time of year when we may not feel as thirsty.

Drinking enough water plays an important role in the body, including helping to regulate blood pressure, get rid of waste and aids digestion. It keeps everything ticking over, particularly when you are adding more fibre to your diet. The NHS recommends that people should drink 6 to 8 glasses of fluid a day so, make sure to keep a water bottle within arm’s reach so you don’t forget and can drink water whenever you want. And if you’re looking to switch up your hydration beverage, add fruit like berries, mint, or cucumber to make water more flavourful and enticing.

6. Stay Connected

Working from home can sometimes feel isolating, with analysed research into home-working predicting that 1.6 million people could be at risk from loneliness by 2025. While online calls can help you staying connected, it’s also beneficial to add in-person interactions. Socialising regularly supports mental wellbeing, which is linked to gut health through the gut-brain axis, a pathway through which the brain and gut communicate.

Try scheduling short virtual breaks with colleagues, or, if possible, meet up with nearby remote workers for a quick coffee or walk. These small actions can boost mood, ease feelings of loneliness, and support both your mental wellbeing and gut health.