Sitting All Day? Easy Office Workouts to Improve Overall Health
It is been proven that sitting at a desk for long periods of time is bad for overall health. A sedentary lifestyle can lead to loss of bone and muscle strength and increase the risk of diabetes and heart disease. The lack of movement during the work day as well as the long, daily commute is contributing the rising obesity rate.
With this being said, there are ways to improve and even reverse these negative affects through office fitness practices. Practicing office workouts on a daily basis is a quick and easy way to improve health and work productivity. Although many claim that they are too busy throughout the day, there are many simple workouts that can be done without leaving the work station.
Stretching
Stretching is the first and most important workplace exercise. It improves overall posture and helps in feeling refreshed. The most common, notable problem of sitting at a desk is that bad posture causes stiff necks, back problems, and headaches. By doing stretches frequently during the workday, these symptoms can be lessened or eliminated. Some easy desk stretches include, neck, arm and calf.
- Neck Stretches Sit up straight. Stretch the neck to the side and hold for a few seconds on each side.
- Upward Arm Stretch Clasp hands together and reach towards the ceiling with palms facing up. Reach up as high as possible to stretch the arms and upper back.
- Calf Raises Sit close to the edge of the chair with feet flat on the ground. Lift the heels until just the toes are left on the ground and return heels back to the ground. Repeat 10-20 times.
Medium-Intensity Workouts
The next type of crucial office workout includes a bit more movement and increased heart rate. Increasing blood flow and muscle use will help stiff necks and back pain as well as keep the mind refreshed and active. These job workouts can be done at a desk, during lunch, or on break.
- Imaginary Jump Rope/Jumping Jacks Try this for 30-60 seconds depending on desired level.
- Push-ups This can be tricky at work. Try doing these against a wall or the side of a desk for more ease. 10 reps at a time. Repeat 2-3 times.
- Jogging in Place Try this for 30-60 seconds. Getting the heart rate up is critical.
- Glute Compression Flex glutes as tight as possible and hold this position for 30 seconds and release.
Cardio Exercise
The last office fitness exercise is cardiovascular. In order to improve health and combat weight gain, at least thirty minutes of cardio is recommended daily. If done frequently enough, these office workouts are proven to energize the body and mind.
- Take the stairs Use more leg muscles walking the incline of the stairs, get heart rate up first thing in the morning.
- Park further away Getting extra steps in the morning and after work.
- Take walk breaks Spend 2-3 minutes walking at the end of every hour.
- Walk to coworker’s desks Instead of emailing, walk to a coworkers desk to ask questions.
Given these tips, there are many things that can be done to improve health and energy. Taking a few minutes break every hour for these office workouts can make all the difference when sitting for long periods of time. Stretching, muscle exercises, and cardiovascular job exercises are easy additions to a daily routine that will improve overall health and work productivity.
