MOVE REGULARLY
Why do you need to MOVE regularly?? Because the simple act of moving regularly can bring your MORE health benefits than just your daily exercise routine.
Read the RESEARCH as to WHY it is so beneficial …
Both the total volume of sedentary time and its accrual in prolonged, uninterrupted bouts are associated with all-cause mortality
Scientists have concluded that sitting for one or two hours at a time, without moving, have a higher risk of early death than their peers who are sitting for just as long but are still getting up for even short bouts of movement i.e. 30-mins.
'Sitting disease' is associated with greater waist circumference.
When sitting for periods of 30-mins or longer the muscles used to support sitting start to get tired which then puts ligaments, tendons, nerves and joints under strain causing pain
Sedentary behaviour (SB; time spent sitting) is associated with musculoskeletal pain (MSP) conditions. Reduced Lower Back Pain and reduced Neck/Shoulder pain, and general MSP is associated with reduced workplace sitting.
Epidemiological evidence indicates higher volumes of Sedentary behaviour are associated with several musculoskeletal pain conditions, including osteoarthritis, back pain, and neck/shoulder pain.
Regular movement (20-30 min intervals) has been identified as primary prevention against over 35 chronic conditions including obesity, joint pain-related conditions, and anxiety and depression
Micro-breaks are less than two minutes long and are best performed every 20-30 minutes. This provides a break for muscles continually used during computer usage including the eyes. This allows the muscles inside the eye relax, refreshes the tear film and clears dust from the eye surface. Eye strain is a major contributing factor to headaches, migraines, and radiates to neck and shoulder pain.
... out of people who are sedentary for much of the day, those who get up frequently and move around have lower levels of inflammation than those who sit for long stretches of time. Simply getting up and moving around for a few minutes has the net effect of reducing inflammation
ANOVA (Analysis of variance) found a significant reduction in pain of 72% for stretching interventions without making any changes to workstation ergonomics
Higher sedentary time is associated with higher mortality risk and this is NOT significantly modified by the time spent in moderate to vigorous physical activity (e.g. 30-mins a day of a moderate-fast paced activity)
Displacing sedentary time with physical activity of any intensity is beneficial
A regular stretching exercise program performed for four weeks can decrease neck and shoulder pain and improve neck function and quality of life for office workers who have chronic moderate-to-severe neck or shoulder pain.
Regular simple stretches alleviate musculoskeletal pain, eye strain, headaches that arise from sitting in one position and/or doing repetitive motions... i.e. computer work.
So HOW do you make ‘moving regularly’ a part of your day? And with the added bonus of being hydrated and decompressing?? Read on…
1. Open up CLOCK on your mobile device Tap TIMER and set to 30-mins.
2. When your ALARM sounds, click REPEAT (do NOT tap Stop) and ideally standing (but can be done in your chair)... do the following stretches (only takes 50-secs to do them all!!) WHILE doing your resonant breathing (de-compress)...
Extend one arm overhead and reach to the opposite side. Hold for 10-secs then repeat on other side.
Clasp hands together above the head with palms facing outward. Push your arms up, stretching upward (keeping feet flat on the ground) Hold the pose for 10-secs.
Clasp hands behind your back. Push your chest outward, and raise your chin. Hold the pose for 10-secs.
Keep your back straight and tuck your chin in. Roll shoulders forward, up, back, and down in a circular motion. Repeat 3-5 times, then reverse.
3. When finished stretching... drink 100 (4-sips)-150ml (6-sips) of water
4. REPEAT the above Stretch, Decompress, Hydrate sequence, EVERY 30-mins... from when you start work until approx. 4:00pm, where you need to tap STOP instead of repeat.
5. Repeat this activity EVERY SINGLE DAY.
Questions to ask yourself…
Out of all the RESEARCH, which benefits appeal to you the most?
How do you feel after doing your "Stretch, Decompress, Hydrate" every 30-mins ?
I hope this helps… And… if you want to know more about how to IMPROVE your Gut Health then head HERE or if you want to eat your way back to health — one meal at a time — check out my Gut Health Recipe Compendium. Nat xx