Three Steps to a Healthier Work Experience

If you work in a desk-based job, you may be aware of the risk to your health from sitting down all day and limiting the amount of physical activity you get. While the structure of many modern businesses are changing, such as including gyms and workplace wellness schemes, desk workers can be at risk of feeling trapped. This trapped feeling means that you need to get your blood flowing and your muscles moving. There are ways that you can improve your working week so that you feel less sluggish. Here are three ways to kick start your working experience, to boost your health and wellbeing.

 

Posture

One of the most common problems in people who work in a desk-based job is their posture – sitting down all day can get uncomfortable, and it’s easy to slip into a position that damages your back after time. You lean over your keyboard to get closer to the screen, or your slide back and slouch whilst you work. Try working on your posture first and foremost, as you’ll be surprised what a difference it makes to your overall wellbeing and health. You’ll need to be conscious of it all the time for the first few weeks, until your body begins to do it naturally. Keep your shoulders back and your back straight, so that you’re not slouching. Having a good posture doesn’t just help your own health – it also gives a better impression to others in the office, as it shows that you’re more confident and attentive at work. If you’re squinting and struggling to see the computer screen, get your eyes checked.

Keep active

Keep yourself moving throughout the day, as sitting down for seven hours isn’t going to do anything for your circulation and health. Five minutes every hour or so to stretch your legs and get the blood flowing can do wonders. Try getting up to get a drink, go to the toilet or even just walk around the office to speak to a co-worker. Just get the blood flowing, however you want to do it. If you’re sitting with good posture or without, you’ll still notice that you’ll get sore sitting down for too long. Getting up and staying active can alleviate this problem and help to keep your blood flowing. Also, make the most of your lunch break and go for a walk – don’t spend this vital time sitting down again.

Eat healthy snacks

This isn’t so much about staying fit, but it is important that you eat well when you’re at work – you’re there for forty hours a week, so what you eat during this time counts. Many people notice that when they’ve been working in a place for a while, they begin to develop poor eating habits. What you eat fuels your body throughout the day, so choose wisely. This means ditching the crisps and biscuits for water, fruit and vegetables, and nuts. They’ll give your body an energy boost without loading you up on empty calories and high sugar contents. You’ll also notice that your energy lasts for longer. This is because snacks such as crisps and chocolate may give you an instant hit of energy, but it will be short lived, leaving you with that afternoon slump that we’ve all experienced. Try to begin the day with a filling and healthy breakfast, such as cereal or porridge, then a snack of fruit mid-morning. At lunch time, fill up on plenty of veggies and lean protein to see you through the afternoon, and munch on nuts and seeds if you get peckish.

Categories: based job, blood flowing, desk based, diet, fitness, health, posture, sitting, time, work, Workplace Wellness

The Fitness Equipment That Everyone Ought to Avoid

Some people will do anything to improve their fitness, but whilst there are a vast number of great pieces of fitness equipment out there, which will improve your health and wellness, there is also an even wider range of equipment out there that will do absolutely nothing for your wellbeing.

 

The problem is that people are often looking for the easy way to get fit, when in reality there is no easy way. If you happen to watch late night telly, you will see any number of infomercials trying to sell you the latest gizmos and gadgets – but which ones really work and which are simply an expensive way to do absolutely nothing.

 

The number one red flag should be anything that claims to get you fit whilst you are sitting down. As appealing as it may sound, nobody loses weight whilst sitting down. Yet there are many gizmos that claim to rock, twist and slide away the pounds from a sitting position, such as the Hawaii Chair, which has a swiveling base and claims to tighten up your abs whilst you are sitting down. In actual fact, it does nothing whatsoever except make millions for those who are selling it.

 

There are also many fitness gizmos on the market that vibrate, from the lap belts of the 1950s to the new Shake Weight, a dumbbell that jiggles. None of these things are proven to work – and as for the dumbbell, you’d be better off just buying a regular one and actually do some exercise with it.

 

Then there are the shoes on the market which claim to tone up your legs and bottom just by walking. Celebrities are often used to promote these toning shoes to convince people that they are the quickest route to fitness. According to a recent study by the American Council on Exercise, however, these shoes are simply expensive shoes that do absolutely nothing different to your regular shoes.

Categories: absolutely, equipment, fitness, Fitness Equipment, gadgets, nbsp, Shoes, sitting

Backwards Thinking: The Myths Surrounding Back Pain

According to the latest stats, back problems affect the well-being of 80% of us at some point in life. However, because of this, everyone thinks they’re an expert on the subject, and this has led to a number of wellness myths that simply aren’t true.

 

• You should stay in bed: A day or two in bed can make back pain worse.


• A firm mattress is better: Those who sleep on a softer mattress actually suffer less back pain and disability.


• You should avoid exercise: Gentle exertion, such as a brisk walk, can help ease pain and speed up recovery.


• Posture doesn’t matter: Slouching puts a huge strain on your spinal muscles, while having everything in line provides instant relief.


• You need a chiropractor: There’s no evidence to recommend chiropractic treatment, but studies do show that seeing an osteopath is very effective.


• You shouldn’t lift anything: It’s not about the weight of the thing but how you lift it.


• Surgery is the only real cure: 90% of back pain goes away on its own.


• Only obese people suffer: While weight puts pressure on the spine, skinny people can suffer bone loss which may lead to crushed vertebrae.

 

Luckily, there are things you can do to improve your well-being when you have a recurring back problem. First and foremost, you have to listen to your body when it reaches its limitations. However, this doesn’t mean you have to give up on the things you love to do; you simply have to find a way to work around your back pain and experience the minimum amount of pain possible. This means undertaking a simple regular exercise programme:

 

1. Stand up straight. With your shoulders down, belly button pulled in towards your spine and bottom tucked in, imagine that there’s an invisible piece of string pulling you up from the top of your head.

 

2. Stretch. Work with a physiotherapist on some simple stretches so that you can relieve the specific muscle spasms that cause your back pain.

 

3. Strengthen your core. Your core is comprised of the muscles in your abdomen and lower back, and is essential for back support. Toning in this area can greatly reduce back pain, so try a Pilates class or talk to your GP about some simple moves that will strengthen your core.

 

4. The sitting solution. Sitting down a lot can strain the muscles in your back, but you may have a job in which sitting is unavoidable. If this is the case, performing a simple exercise a few times a day can help to relieve the tension in your back. All you have to do is lean back in your chair with your feet on the floor and a slight curve in your back. Easy.

Categories: back pain, Core, Myths, nbsp, Pain, simple, sitting, solutions