Leading a sedentary lifestyle is almost unavoidable for us in the 21st century. Most people now have jobs that keep them sitting for many hours a day. There are several different health problems that can happen as a result of extended sitting. For instance, a sedentary lifestyle puts you at risk for diseases like obesity, heart disease, and stroke.
There are even more immediate health issues that can come from sitting too much. As an example, you may experience neck and back pain. This is especially common in people who work in offices and look at computer screens all day. Depending on your schedule and how much you move, you might experience stiffness, soreness, or even numbness and tingling.
However, just because you sit throughout the day does not mean you have to live a sedentary life.
The good news is that you can do basic stretches to improve circulation and relax your muscles. These stretches can be performed almost anywhere, including an office. That is good news since it means you won’t be drawing too many odd looks from your coworkers. Here are the best stretches to combat sitting fatigue!
1. Stretch your neck using a doorway.
Neck pain from working at a desk or bending over a computer all day can cause a lot of issues. Sometimes, it can even spread, affecting your eyesight or causing headaches. To combat neck pain, practice an easy stretching exercise that also works your shoulders. Stand in a doorway and put one hand on the lintel. Drop your chin to the opposite shoulder gently. Repeat 10 times, being careful not to overextend your muscles.
2. Work your shoulders by using the wall.
To ease the pain in your shoulders, stand against a bare wall. The back of your neck should touch it. Walk your feet forward until they are roughly three inches from the wall. With your shoulders dropped, raise your arms out to each side and repeat 10 times. Your arms should be against the wall the whole time.
3. Strengthen your hands with stress balls.
If you work at a computer, your hands undergo a lot of strain. You may even have pain at the end of the day. To ease any discomfort and strengthen your hands, use two balls and an expander. Playing with this throughout the day will provide you with relief.
4. Work your wrists.
To ease the pain in your wrists, do one simple exercise: just rotate your wrists without moving your arms. Turn in a gentle circle 10 times for each hand. This will get the joint working and provide some relief.
5. Stretch each finger.
Sore fingers are a common issue for people who use keyboards all day. To give your fingers a workout, hook each finger around the corresponding finger on your other hand. Then, pull gently to help the muscles warm up.
6. Stretch out your sore hips.
It’s also easy to develop pain in your hips after sitting all day. If you need to stretch, just sit on your chair, stretching one leg forward. Then, slowly lean toward your leg until you feel a gentle stretch.
7. Get on the floor for a better stretch.
This one might not be appropriate for the office but it’s still great in the comfort of your own home. Lay down on your back, supporting your neck with a pillow or rolled towel. Bend your legs, then prop your left ankle on your right knee. Grasp your right thigh with both hands and pull gently. Stretch for about 30 seconds.
7 Exercises To Clear Up Lymph Congestion After Sitting All Day
Cedric Jackson
05.16.19
Leading a sedentary lifestyle is almost unavoidable for us in the 21st century. Most people now have jobs that keep them sitting for many hours a day. There are several different health problems that can happen as a result of extended sitting. For instance, a sedentary lifestyle puts you at risk for diseases like obesity, heart disease, and stroke.
There are even more immediate health issues that can come from sitting too much. As an example, you may experience neck and back pain. This is especially common in people who work in offices and look at computer screens all day. Depending on your schedule and how much you move, you might experience stiffness, soreness, or even numbness and tingling.
However, just because you sit throughout the day does not mean you have to live a sedentary life.
The good news is that you can do basic stretches to improve circulation and relax your muscles. These stretches can be performed almost anywhere, including an office. That is good news since it means you won’t be drawing too many odd looks from your coworkers. Here are the best stretches to combat sitting fatigue!