Dr. Hyocheong Chae’s Guide to a Better Study Environment

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📚 Dr. Chae’s Story on Study Environment: A study environment that reduces strain on the neck and back with proper posture to enhance concentration. Reasons for students’ decreased concentration, headaches, dizziness, and abdominal pain can be their ‘posture’ and ‘learning environment.’ Hello, I am the director of Sunyujae Korean Medicine Clinic. Lately, many parents with student children, as well as students themselves, visit our clinic.

However, it’s not simply due to fatigue; many students struggle with physical symptoms like headaches, dizziness, abdominal pain, and back pain. Many parents often dismiss it, thinking, “It must be because they’re studying so hard…” But in such cases, I always ask, “Are there any issues with their posture or learning environment when they study?

Are they using a book stand?” This is because I personally experienced these symptoms during my Korean medicine college days and as a student preparing for exams. I pondered how to improve, changed my environment, and overcame them. Today, based on my experience, I’d like to share some practical advice on proper posture and the physical study environment that can help you immerse yourself in your studies.

‘Temp* Cushion & Backrest’ for Proper Posture: Students preparing for exams sit at their desks for 10 hours, sometimes up to 15 hours a day. In such cases, a cushion and a backrest can greatly help maintain proper posture and concentration. At the time, after trying various products, I chose the Temp* cushion and backrest.

The reason was that they weren’t too soft to induce drowsiness, nor too hard. They had just the right amount of elasticity to evenly distribute body weight, reducing the burden on the lumbar spine (lower back) and cervical spine (neck). Using the Temp* cushion significantly reduced the strain on my back and neck, even after sitting for 15 hours a day. With the backrest, my body naturally aligned, and my posture didn’t collapse.

It’s not that you *must* use the Temp* brand. Many excellent products are available these days, and there might be even better ones I don’t know about. What’s important is finding an environment that supports your body and prevents fatigue from accumulating. How a single ‘book stand’ changes head and neck fatigue.

When you place books or notebooks flat on your desk, your head naturally bows. It might be fine at first, but studying in the same posture for more than 3 hours can lead to a stiff neck, a foggy head, strained eyes, and even dizziness in severe cases. This is because prolonged bowing of the head causes excessive tension in the muscles around the cervical spine due to an unstable posture, leading to tension in the important muscles connecting the head and cervical spine, and hindering the flow of blood to the head.

When the foramen magnum, the pathway for blood flow between the head and neck, is compressed, it obstructs the flow of cerebrospinal fluid and reduces cerebral blood circulation. This can ultimately lead to a lack of mental clarity, decreased concentration, and symptoms like headaches and dizziness. Naturally, if such a posture is maintained for a long period, brain circulation will deteriorate, leading to a decline in learning efficiency.

Therefore, I strongly recommend a book stand. Instead of straining to bow your head, simply tilting the book’s angle slightly will reduce how much you bend your head, thereby lessening the burden on your cervical spine and significantly improving blood flow to your head. I actually tell mothers this:

“Try reading a book for 3 hours with your head bowed, without a book stand. You’ll immediately realize it’s not feasible.” Concentration comes from ‘environment,’ not ‘mental strength.’ Is studying a battle of mental strength?

I largely disagree. Without the physical stamina and environment to support that mental strength, no matter how strong your will, it won’t last long. It becomes a ‘three-day resolution.’

Ultimately, all these conditions improve the quality of study and provide the strength to endure the exam preparation period. At this point, if mental strength is weak, don’t just blame the child. Instead, ask yourself: Is my child’s study environment, is the learner’s body, suitable for sitting for long periods?

I hope you will check that. When I listen to the difficulties of students preparing for exams in the clinic, I often hear them say they can’t study because their bodies are tired. As someone who was also a student preparing for exams, and now a parent raising a son who is a student, I have a great fondness for students.

If the body collapses, so does mental strength. For studying, physical stamina, and environment, ‘sustainability’ is crucial. At our Korean medicine clinic, we consider and assist students in maintaining a healthy body and concentration for studying, focusing on proper posture, the right environment, and Korean medicine-based physical stamina management.

Please feel free to come for a consultation anytime. We will help you get through this period well together. We hope you will join Sunyujae Korean Medicine Clinic, which shares valuable information for a healthy life. Sunyujae Korean Medicine Clinic in Suji-gu pursues evidence-based medicine and integrative medicine.

This post was written directly by the medical staff of Sunyujae Korean Medicine Clinic to provide medical information, in compliance with Article 56(2) and Article 57(3) of the Medical Service Act. The duration and outcome of treatment may vary from person to person, so please consult a qualified practitioner before beginning treatment.