The role of headrests in ergonomic chairs

A headrest only does useful work when you're reclined — sitting upright and typing, your neck should already be supported by good upper-back positioning, not the headrest. That's why several respected ergonomic chairs (the classic Herman Miller Aeron, for one) ship without one.

Where a headrest earns its place is in chairs meant for deep recline — video calls leaned back, reading, or short breaks between tasks. In that position, an adjustable headrest keeps your neck from craning forward or tilting back uncomfortably.

If you do want one, check that it adjusts in both height and angle independently, and that it moves with the recline instead of staying fixed — a headrest that stays in place while the backrest reclines away from it becomes useless exactly when you'd lean into it most.

A poorly positioned fixed headrest can be worse than none at all, pushing your head forward instead of supporting it. If a chair's headrest doesn't adjust to your neck length, it's often better left unused than forced.