Sitting All Day? Learn How to Fix the Damage

You may be working in a place that requires you to sit at a desk all day, or you may just like sitting on your couch while you watch TV or read a book. Continuous sitting is a problem for both super-fit people and couch potatoes. It promotes weak bones, muscle weakness, foggy brain, obesity, osteoporosis, back, as well as shoulder, and neck pain.

If you sit for long hours, your body basically enters a state of sleep while your brain struggles to keep it awake. Your body will burn less fat and your blood will circulate poorly, causing problems such as varicose legs, swollen ankles or deep-vein thrombosis.

Here are a few ways to prevent any further damage to your health.

• Take Some Yoga Classes

Yoga can be a great way to stretch those muscles that have suffered from inactivity while also providing relaxation. Many yoga poses target tensioned areas and bring you relief from the ailments caused by a desk job. Try the Cat Pose and the Cow Pose in your yoga session, and experience first-grade relief.

• Take Walking Breaks

It is well known that continuous sitting doesn’t do your cardiovascular health any good because it prevents the blood from flowing properly. Take a break every hour and walk around for about 10 minutes to improve your blood flow and activate your metabolism.

• Use a Stability Ball

Since your body is not stable while you sit on that ball, your body will have to work extra to maintain your balance. Your core muscles will be forced, which will allow your body to work itself as it’s trying to gain stability. Sit up straight on the ball and keep your feet on the floor. This will help your balance and provide support.

• Stretch Your Body

Stretching exercises will help reverse the damage of sitting. It will help soothe muscle pain and can ease the tension, allowing you to feel fresher. Look for some stretching poses that can help increase your circulation, improve your motion range and calm your mind. Also, look for exercises that can help stretch your neck.

• Sit Correctly

One of the reasons why many people get back pain while working is because they sit incorrectly. The key to reducing any spinal damage is sitting correctly at your desk, reducing the strain. Sit straight, lift your chin, relax your jaw and avoid leaning forward.

• Get a Standing Desk

You can prevent most of the damage done by sitting if you use a standing desk. Your muscles will be kept active, reducing any neck strain, spine and back pain and other common ailments. You can either stand on your own feet or use a high chair. However, for every hour of standing, you should take a 10-minute break to sit.

Take these tips into account and reduce any long-term damage caused by sitting all day.