Two recent studies warn us on the dangers of sitting. The numbers are staggering. For every hour we remain seated we lose more than 20 minutes of our lives! So the message is clear: Get Moving! But how to do it? Here are some tips:
1. Print at the furthermost printer in your office.
Set up the default printer to be the one that is the most further away from your desk. That should help you get some exercise every time you print something.
2. Park at some distance from the entrance to the grocery store.
Why look for parking near the entrance? Instead why not park at that distant point under the shade of a tree? That will keep your car cool and also give you chance to free up your legs as you rush into the store and back.
3. While watching TV get up and start walking on every commercial break.
Why switch channels or fast-forward when commercials interrupt? Instead try to walk around and get a few chores done that require you to move about.
4. Drink water at work
Drink a couple of glasses of water between lunch and breakfast and a couple more after lunch and before you leave for home. The walk to the cooler and back and also to the restrooms will do you a world of good!
5. Take a stroll after lunch
Taking a 20 minute relaxed walk after lunch is recommended highly by Ayurveda. (The ancient science of health and well being from India.) This not only gets you outside and moving but helps you digest your food.
6. Yoga can help
How can yoga help? Here is how:
a. Improves posture: Yoga helps improve posture and if you learn how to sit upright the damage caused by sitting activity is reduced.
b. You learn to keep your core engaged: A key aspect of doing yoga the right way is maintain your bandhas while doing postures. This allows you to learn to keep your core engaged. You can take this knowledge to sitting and try and keep your core engaged while working at your desk. It may be a good idea to set reminders every hour to keep track of this till it becomes a habit. Once again sitting with a good posture and the core enaged can minimize the damage caused by sitting.
c. Better sleep: By reducing stress yoga can considerably improve sleep. When you wake up fresh in the morning you have more energy to remain active and engaged throughout the day.
Being active is not only healthy but fun too! Rather than being slouched in front of the TV or the computer all day you can have a better time when you move about, go in the open, and socialize. So let us resolve to spend less time sitting and let us get moving!
Related:
NY Times article: Get up, Get out. Don’t Sit
BBC news: Sitting for long periods is bad for your health
Credits:This has been written by Raj Shah and edited by Ketna Shah.