In this day and age, it seems as if people are coming out of the woodwork everyday promoting some fad that looks to revolutionize they way we treat our bodies and look at our health. Every day we are inundated with fad diets, new “super foods”, questionable supplements and bizarre workout regimens aiming to put us on the fast track to good health, but in reality things exist more as marketing tools hoping to make money.
The best advice you can follow to improve your health is simple: get up and get moving. Getting and staying active doing anything you like doing can make the biggest impact on your overall health. Unfortunately, aspects of regular life (namely 9 to 5 desk jobs) make it difficult to be as active as recommended. Today we are going to look at a few of the specific effects that a sedentary lifestyle can have on our livelihood, as well as some tips on how to keep our blood pumping throughout the day.
A sedentary lifestyle is one of the 5 major #risk factors for #cardiovascular disease! pic.twitter.com/jP3UOAjZlU
— Ari Soffer MD, FACC (@SofferHealth) April 19, 2016
One of biggest downsides to sitting at a desk for extended period of time is on our posture. Generally we are sitting in a slouched position, with our spine and spine hunched towards our keyboard. You might be able to ascertain that improper posture puts undue strain on your spine, but it can also affect your lungs as well. A hunched position prevents your lungs from expanding fully, limiting your oxygen intake and contributing to fatigue and light-headedness.
Aside from the fatigue, 9-to-5ers also experience a wide range of musculoskeletal ailments, such as cramps, muscle tightness, pinched nerves, and general aches and pains. Add that to the increased chances or obesity and heart disease, a sedentary lifestyle is hands-down one of the worst things you can do for your body.
Fortunately, there are a few things we all can do to help combat these adverse effects:
- The easiest thing we can do is taking the time to stand up for a few minutes every 30 to 45 minutes. This will help increase blood flow and circulation, keeping your muscles warm and pliable.
- You also might try swapping your normal desk chair for an exercise ball. Since there is no back support or solid base, the ball requires engaged core and leg muscles to keep steady and upright. This no only helps teach you better posture, but you also burn calories as well.
Try sitting on an exercise ball at work – it's good for you! https://t.co/9I6XHLfXDJ pic.twitter.com/OIUP7aT7Bx
— Piedmont Healthcare (@PiedmontHealth) February 26, 2016
Aside from things you can do at work, the nature of a desk job will inevitably leave you with a few aches and pains. The best way to treat these issues is to get regular massage and chiropractic care. Should a moment of poor posture knock you out of whack, chiropractic adjustments can help realign your neck, hips and spine in their natural position. Massage therapy is an awesome way to work out any knots or strained muscles, while providing an environment to relax and release any pent up stress as well.
When it comes to a sedentary lifestyle, the bottom line is that the longer you sit around, the worse you are going to feel. Remember this next time you are sitting at your desk and make sure you implement some of these tips so slouch your way to an achy body!
Sources:
- http://www.medicaldaily.com/pulse/risks-sitting-all-day-sedentary-lifestyle-affects-muscle-movement-brain-activity-327154
- http://www.consciouschiro.com/tech-workers-back-pain/
- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/01/sitting-bad-for-health_n_1245261.html