Spend More of Your Day Standing Instead of Sitting For Work!
Whenever you have the choice between sitting for work and standing, choose the option that’s more beneficial for your body. You may find it difficult to stand for long periods of time initially, but you can build up gradually. In fact, just standing up once an hour, such as to grab a drink of water or walk over to a coworker’s desk, can make a big difference to your muscles and circulation.
Move More Often
When you’re able to take a longer break, use the opportunity to move. For instance, you could use your lunch break to go for a walk, perhaps finding a new place to eat that’s a bit of a distance from your office. In addition, you could park at the far side of the parking lot to increase how far you need to walk at the beginning and end of each day. Sitting for work can be a huge problem to your health, but ergonomics can help you move.
Do the Right Exercises
Any workout is great for your health, but some exercises are particularly useful for counteracting the effects of sitting.
One is the cat/cow stretch. If you’ve ever taken a yoga class, you’ll have likely encountered this exercise. On your hands and knees, alternate between arcing and rounding your back. This is great for flexibility, strength, and posture of the lumbar, cervical spine, and shoulders.
Another exercise to try is the plank. Time yourself each time you do a plank to see if you can hold it a few seconds longer next time. From plank, you can also do mountain climbers to work your core more and get your blood flowing.
One group of professionals who are particularly impacted by long periods of sitting are healthcare workers who have a desk job. At Biomorph, we have healthcare furniture solutions to help you spend less time sitting at work. For instance, an adjustable desk will allow you to switch from sitting to standing at the click of a button. Contact us to find out how to customize a workstation for your needs.