Medical researchers are beginning to refer to sitting as the new smoking. It's a known fact that spending a lot of hours trapped in an office, without even having time to stand up from your chair can be extremely dangerous for your health but what can you do when you need to work?
The good news is that you don't have to be completely vegetative at work, there are a few easy exercises that you can do during your breaks, exercises that will not only help your body alleviate the pressure from standing still in the same position for a long time, but can also keep you energized and happy.
Regain Your Balance
Staying in a chair for a long time poses a serious threat to your health, a threat that is unfortunately disregarded as unimportant by a lot of people, until it's too late. The Teatox team has put together a set of office exercises that can help you improve your posture, regain your focus and reestablish your body's natural balance, without having to waste too much time or neglect your projects for too long.
The good thing about these exercises is that they will also open up an appetite for working out, making you feel better about physical training sessions, thus helping you stay in shape and healthy. Let's see what you can do around the office to regain your posture and relax your body:
- One of the easiest solutions for improving your posture and for avoiding to spend long hours trapped on a chair is to make a habit out of taking a small break at every hour. it doesn't have to be a long break, but it has to be a standing up break, so don't cheat and simply move from one chair to another.
- When you have a few free minutes, stand up with your hand on your hips and move your head slowly from right to left, then rotate your shoulders for two minutes; until you feel the tension alleviating in the back of your head.
- Stand from your chair and shake your arms and legs for a few seconds. This exercise has a fast effect and can eliminate stress in no time. Also, it can help you get rid of the tension in your body.
- Standing up, lift your arms for a few seconds and stretch your back the best you can, then relax. Repeating this exercise a few times will relax your spine and give you that rested feeling that you so much desire after a few hours of standing still.
- If you have a little room in your office, you can do a few mild jumping-jacks, alternating them with slow jumps with your hand behind your neck. This will help your blood flow and strengthen your muscles.
- Take a five minute break and go outside to a place with fresh air. Close your eyes, breathe and simply relax for a few minutes. There is no better exercise for oxygenating your brain and relaxing your body than being outdoors and not worrying about anything, even for a little while.
- When you get back to your office and sit on your chair, lift up your knees towards your chest and repeat the movement for a few times. this exercise can help you eliminate the pressure from the muscles of your back and abdomen.
Regardless of the nature of your work, chances are that during office hours you are too stressed out to worry about your body's position or about working out for a few seconds but keep in mind that unless you make a chance now, you will suffer on the long-run. Make sure to add a few minutes of office workout to your daily planner and the results will have you relaxed, happy and less stressed.
What's your daily routine for keeping your body relaxed? Share your office experiences with us via Facebook.