2023-09-05 15:07:11
Sitting too long, taking too few breaks, and exercising too little can cause many diseases. But the bar is not that high, so making even small changes to your daily life can help.
Because, according to a report from the German Higher School of Sports in Cologne and the private health insurance DKV, every minute on the move will be a plus for health.
If a person who spends a lot of time sitting replaces an hour of passive time with a walk, they will reduce their risk of early death by 20 percent.
Three easy ways to incorporate physical exercise into your daily life
The possibilities of incorporating movements and pauses in daily life are multiple.
You can start by changing the position in which you are sitting as often as possible.
“Change is essential,” says Thomas Schneider, an orthopedist at the Gundelfingen Joint Clinic, Germany. “You also have to get up and stand every now and then and walk around, that is, not be permanently seated.”
So why not get up from your chair in the office and walk across to your colleague, instead of calling or emailing?
Or walk while making a phone call or use your lunch break for a walk, as well as take the stairs instead of the elevator?
Isometric exercises can be easily adjusted to best suit you. (Andrey_Popov/ Shutterstock)Fit, with strong muscles.
Movement not only eases rigid sitting positions, but also strengthens the muscles. Training them regularly can also reduce the risk of many chronic lifestyle diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease or cancer.
On a smaller scale, you can opt for a walk in the fresh air after work instead of collapsing in the armchair. For people who spend a lot of time sitting, Schneider especially recommends swimming or specific training of the upper back muscles.
To this you can add an exercise such as holding a rubber band in front of you slightly above your head. Grasp both ends in your hands and pull them toward your chest with forearms parallel, shoulder blades together.
Breathe calmly, against stress.
Stress is also a detrimental factor for health. Also in this case it applies that small breaks to recover can be helpful.
Breathing well is essential, recommends the report. Whoever remembers to breathe more calmly, slowly and deeply in tense situations will relieve the symptoms of stress and relax.
“Calm breathing helps the mind and upper neck muscles,” says Schneider, and recommends the following exercise, which combines calm breathing and relaxation and can be easily integrated into everyday life.
For the so-called cat pose, get into a four-legged position. The head hangs freely downwards, and the back is rounded as much as possible. Inhale as you round your back and exhale as you straighten it and release tension. Repeat the exercise several times.
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