Because more and more work-at-home people as well as office workers have increased periods of sitting at one stretch, sitting for extended durations is the new norm in lives. Sadly, that increases the risk for other serious health issues, including sharp back pain and muscles becoming stiff. Well, not all hope seems to be lost, for if the new normal requires extensive hours of sitting in either home or an office desk, then there are very easy fixes on how to live an above-average healthy lifestyle.
Here are some small, easy changes to improve your health even with hours of sitting daily.
1. Posture End
With prolonged periods, bad posture is going to cause pains and aches in the areas of the neck, the shoulders, and the back. As countermeasures, adjust the chair and desk so that they stand at a suitable height with the computer screen for everyone. Place your feet on the floor; keep the back straight; most times of the day you will end up leaning forward. Then, invest in good-quality office furniture that will fit ergonomic factors for the perfect postures when sitting down as well, such as buying an adjustable office chair.
If you are sitting in front of a computer, then ensure that the top of your monitor is level with your eyes so that you don’t strain your neck. Laptop users may use an external keyboard and mouse to raise the screen to ergonomic height.
2. Micro-Breaks
Micro-breaks are taken every 30 minutes where you take small breaks in order to reduce muscle stiffness and increase blood flow in your body. You would stand up, stretch a little, or take several steps around your workspace. Some people set reminders for their phones or use particular apps to remind them about taking these breaks.
These breaks, even a few minutes of standing, stretching, or walking around your room, refresh the body and mind and make it easier to focus.
3. Try stretching exercises at your desk.
Maintaining flexibility is important for alleviating discomfort from long periods of sitting. Here are a few easy stretches you can do without leaving your desk:
Necker Stretch: Tilt slowly, keeping your head parallel with your shoulder, and hold on for 15 seconds; repeat on the opposite side.
Roll Your Shoulder: Roll the shoulders around your head in a big circle, then roll all the way around to the other side and back down.
Seated Forward: Bend Scoot forward and sit up with your seat an inch or two from the edge. Reach forward as far forward as you can comfortably.
Extend your arm: pull the other’s fingers back with one of your hands, then cross sides.
These stretches are able to loosen tensile muscles, relax rigid tissue, and enhance the overall circulation of the area of stretch.
4. Adequate Water Intake
It is easy to forget to drink water when you are focused on work. However, staying hydrated is very important for general health and supports everything from digestion to concentration. Make it easier by keeping a water bottle at your desk and aiming to refill it a few times a day.
Frequent water drinking can also encourage you to get up for bathroom breaks, giving you more opportunities to move around.
5. Standing or Walking Meetings
Instead of holding a traditional sitting meeting, hold a standing or walking meeting when possible. Standing meetings can improve your posture and may reduce the duration of the meeting. Walking meetings allow you to get some light exercise while you work together with others.
For virtual meetings, you could stand up and take your call or step out with your phone for a virtual meeting.
6. You can use a stability ball or balance cushion.
Using a stability ball as your chair or placing a balance cushion on your seat may help engage your core muscles and improve your posture. Sitting on a stability ball for short periods requires balance, which engages more muscles than a regular chair.
You can substitute your chair with a stability ball or sit on the latter half of the day, allowing your core to work while letting your back and hips take a break from the typical sitting position.
7. Change the lighting to avoid eye strain.
Glare from a computer screen leads to eye strain, often causing headaches and tired eyes. Adjusting the brightness of your screen and proper lighting within the room can also reduce eye strain. In addition, one “20-20-20 rule” can prevent further damage to your eyes by looking at something 20 feet away for at least 20 seconds every 20 minutes.
Moreover, wearing a pair of blue light-filtering glasses can protect your eyes from too much screen exposure if you work in a well-lit space or on multiple screens.
8. Deep Breathing Exercises
The simplest thing to do is just sit at a desk; however, when you work under stress, you usually become tensed up unknowingly. Deep breathing relaxes you and helps free your muscles from tension. Try taking in air into your nose for a couple of seconds and then releasing it slowly through your mouth. Do this for a few minutes when you feel anxious or tensed.
9. Simple Strength Exercises
Muscles weak from sitting around all day will be offset with exercises. These do not necessarily have to be done at a gym, but even short minutes can do. There are some examples below:
Seated Leg Lifts: Sit straight out, extend one leg. Hold for a few seconds and then lower. Then do the other side.
Chair Squats: Stand up and then lower yourself back into your chair as if to sit, but don’t quite sit. Stand right back up. Do several to get those legs and core muscles working.
Calf Raises: Stand, come up onto your tiptoes, hold briefly, and then lower on back down. This’s working the calf muscles—do it in the grocery store line or while on break stretching.
conclusion
Small changes may improve your health, even if you have to sit for a long period. From simple stretches to reminding, you to hydrate, these easy steps are ideal for reducing health risks while sitting for an extended time.
What matters most is the consistency: with these small habits gradually added into your routine, you feel healthier with less stiffness and remain energetic throughout your day.
