Sitting At A Desk All Day? Here's How to Address Desk Stiffness
In 2021, daily work on your computer, even if you aren't currently working in an office setting, is practically a requirement.
And I'm sure we can all agree, your comfort level can often range from bad to worse depending how long you're sitting for. And in most cases, we are sitting for multiple hours per day typing away!
This accumulation of several hours for several days a week can beat your body up. Your hips are stiff, shoulders are tight, and back can feel achy. Realistically, sitting at your desk in front of a computer is one of the worst positions to be in for a prolonged period of time.
There are several health issues to consider when it comes to your desk. Sitting for extended periods can affect both your physical health and mental health.
4 risks from sitting too much:
• Increased anxiety
An inability to release endorphins as a result of sitting extensively can affect your sleeping patterns and overall mood. In addition, reduced social interaction from being sedentary can impact your emotional well-being.
• Joint and/or muscle pain
Sitting shortens your hip flexors and tight hip flexors can contribute to lower back pain. Having your arms stretched too far are too narrow in relation to a keyboard can cause neck and shoulder problems. Laptops can cause strain on the neck since you often look downward towards its screen.
One other area that can be affected is your tailbone. Sitting too much can cause pain around the backside but luckily, you can fix this with a few tailbone exercises.
• Increased stress
Excessive screen time reduce your mental acuity, and increase fatigue levels, which will reduce your work productivity. As a result, many of us can get stressed out in fulfilling our daily tasks.
• Weight gain
Sitting too much can lower your metabolism and reduce circulation that your body craves. There is also a greater tendency to snack even when you are not necessarily hungry.
Benefits of Daily Mobility Work
Question: Are you doomed to one of the risk mentioned above just because you have a job working at a desk?
Answer: No! A daily routine of mobility work can help you function better.
Think of your mobility work as another part of your routine. Just like brushing your teeth. Adding in short bursts of mobility and stretching throughout your day has been shown to reduce potential neck and shoulder pain. As well, regular breaks to stand and move can give your eyes a rest and rejuvenate your mental well-being and increase productivity.
If you work from home, we recommend setting aside a space for your yoga.
Overall, daily mobility work is one of the best tools for reducing all types of pain related to lack of movement. The good news is that your mobility work is a buildable habit. You can set a timer to remind yourself to stand up and walk, or there are many stretches you can do at your desk.
Yoga Strong Active
This is one of the main reasons we created Yoga Strong Active (and you can 14 days FREE just for signing up)!
Unsure of how to optimize your stretching routine? Give Yoga Strong Active a try, both during your workday and in the morning or evening for 10-15 minutes, and notice how your body responds.
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