Why Sitting All Day Is Slowly Killing You (and what to do about it)

According to a recent study from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, people gain 16 pounds, on average, within 8 months of starting sedentary office work.

Even worse news is that this is just one of multiple health risks associated with working at a desk job and sitting down all day.

Now I do realize that for many of you, there’s not much you can do about your current sedentary state … but the good news is that there are some preventative measures you can take to keep you pain free during extended sitting periods and save your hips, spine, and shoulders.

I recently got together with Sacramento Yoga Center owner Ann DePrato to shoot a quick video on this very topic. Check out the video below, and then read the recap directly below it:

Video Recap

It’s important to take breaks during your workday. You should be getting up and moving every hour.

How To Sit in Your Chair:

• Put your feet on the floor (put books under your feet if necessary to get your knee in line with your hip)
• Sit forward in the chair, this will prevent you from slumping and relying on the back of the chair.
• Place the keyboard so your wrist is in line with your elbows and your forearms are extended out. Your monitor should be at eye level.

Chair Yoga:

• Take one foot and bring it over your thigh and lean forward, take a few breaths, this will stretch out the side of your hip and back.
• You can twist in your chair, turn to one side and take a few breaths.
• Place your hands on your knees and round your spine and hang, opening up the space between the vertebrae.
• Do side stretches by reaching up to the corner of the ceiling and wall with one hand.

Sitting for extended periods can wreak havoc on your hips, spine and shoulders. However, while you might not be ready to quit your desk job just yet, there are some steps you can take to stay comfortable and pain-free during your work day. The video above with Ann DePrato of Rise Yoga in Sacramento covers some basic tips to help … thanks for reading/watching and talk soon!

Forest

P.S. To learn more about Ann’s Sacramento Yoga Center and her current new student specials, visit her website at http://riseyoga.com