Research shows that sedentary office workers are doing long-term damage to their health by sitting all day. A deskbound can increase your risk of heart disease by 64%, remove up to 7 quality years off your life and is linked to chronic health problems like high blood pressure, depression, diabetes and obesity.
Sitting is slowly killing us desk jockeys. Today, the average adult spends between 50-70% of their time sitting. When you factor in sitting at a desk job, driving a car, eating and watching TV, many of us sit up to 15 hours a day!
On the other hand, long hours of sitting are inevitable for most people, which is why we have guidelines in place to reduce the negative effects of sitting. The guidelines state that you should get up and move around at least once every hour with a 30 minute minimum of moderate exercise during the course of the day. Even things like perfecting the ideal seating position to the must-have features in an ergonomic chair play a role in how sitting is affecting your health.
We showed previously a short stretching routine that you can do at your desk. Today we have a handy infographic with a brief routine that will encourage you to get up and decrease the strain in your neck, arms and lower back. Just keep in mind that these are intended for a less formal working environment and not everyone will be in a position where they can openly perform them. If you can however, there are no excuses for not trying.
Here are 15 simple exercises you can do at your desk:
Try some of these stretches by Desirable Body right away (before you forget) and pick your favorites to create your own personal desk stretching routine!
