According to On Your Feet Britain, 45% of women and 30% of men spend less than 30 minutes a day on their feet at work. In the long term, this level of workplace inactivity can lead to a host of physical and mental health problems.
To begin with the bad stuff, and to learn a little bit more about the negative impacts of sitting, here’s an excellent Ted Talk on the subject:
But desk dwellers need not despair. The positive news is that, according to studies, regular physical exercise may help to alleviate the negative impacts of sedentary working environments.
And exercise could do more than simply offset the risks of sitting at a desk all day. In fact, it may contribute to an altogether more rewarding and effective work life.
Here’s why exercise is so important for desk workers (or anyone who sits down a lot).
When we exercise, blood flow to the brain increases which gives us the mental boost necessary for tackling a hard day’s work. It’s also widely acknowledged that regular exercise can help keep our mental health in check. Which is especially useful for office workers, considering that one of the major contributors to modern mental health issues is work-related stress.
So by exercising regularly we stand to improve both our mental and emotional wellbeing. Which, in turn, may increase our motivation and enthusiasm to work!
It also improves concentrationand memory
We’ve all experienced the mid-afternoon slump. Reading an email four times in a row, completely unable to focus our attention on account of our post-lunch fatigue. But exercise may help us see the end of that problem.
In one interesting study from HEC Montreal, researchers found that workers who walked on a treadmill whilst reading text and emails not only perceived themselves to be more attentive, but actually demonstrated increased levels of memory and attention.
Another study, this one by UCI researchers, showed that a single burst of moderately intense exercise improves all-round memory function.
It enhances cognition
Other research has shown that regular aerobic exercise actually increases the size of the hippocampus. That’s the part of the brain associated with learning and verbal memory.
Investigators have found that irisin (a molecule believed to have neuroprotective effects) is elevated in the brain though endurance exercise. Experimenting on mice, they “found that raising levels of irisin in the circulation caused the molecule to cross the blood brain barrier, which then increased the expression of BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) and activated genes involved in cognition.”
The results of these investigations suggest that increasing BDNF improves cognition and prevents the brain from degeneration. And it seems like one way to encourage this increase is by exercising.
Also, of course, improvements in cognition means improvements in work!
Small changes can make a big difference
Get Britain Standing says that just a few tweaks to our workday can make a big difference to our health. Here are some minor things we can do around the office for positive change:
Standing for phone calls.
Using the stairs instead of elevators and escalators.
Taking a standing break from your desk every 30 minutes.
Conducting standing/walking meetings.
Stepping away from the desk to eat lunch.
Walking to colleagues’s desks instead of phoning/email them.
Get up and get moving
There’s nothing like exercise to keep us feeling healthy, happy, and productive. If you work at a desk, or spend a lot of time sitting down, then it’s important to move and exercise as much as possible. And if you’re struggling for time, then take a look at these 15 exercise routines that can be performed in less than 10 minutes.
When it comes to exercising without weights, there are lots of different approaches we can take. From cardio to HIIT sessions, everyone has their own way of doing things. But one of the most universal and effective methods for enhancing any workout is to include some good old fashioned plyometric exercises.
To get technical for a moment, a plyometric exercise is the rapid and repeated stretching and contracting of the muscles, designed to increase strength. And there are plenty of exercises out there that tick those boxes. The question is, which ones are the best?
In truth, most plyometric exercises are pretty good, and it’s hard to say which, if any, are better than others. It all depends on which ones you enjoy the most, and which ones you feel the most confident performing. But to help you along, we’ve selected a few of our favourites that, if incorporated and performed properly, will make great additions to any workout routine.
Box Jump
Press Jacks
Frog Jumps
Jump Lunge
Burpee
X Hops
Split Squat Jump
Tuck Jump
Snowboard Hops
Clapping Push-Up
Lateral Box Shuffle
Mountain Climber
Squat Jump
Plyo Jacks
Skater Hops
Conclusion
As long as plyometric exercises are performed correctly and responsibly, they’re excellent workout tools and can really help push you towards achieving your fitness goals. But do remember that it’s crucial to get the technique right before incorporating any new exercises into your programme. So if you’re unsure, keep referring back to the videos, and if you still need more direction, head along to your local gym and ask a trainer for some tips.
Podcasts are wonderful companions when we’re on the move. Whether we’re walking to work, riding the bus, or waiting for a train, a good podcast can really help the time fly by. But aside from that, podcasts can really help us get through a workout.
Not only do they give us something to focus on, but they can inspire us to push ourselves and strive for our goals. So no matter if you’re a runner, a swimmer, and cyclist or a bodybuilder, we’re sure there’s a podcast out there that can help you to stay motivated achieve your goals.
With that said, here are 7 health and fitness podcasts that we think are worthy of any exercise enthusiast’s headphones.
Host Ali Feller sits down for deep conversations with “inspiring people who lead interesting lives on the run and beyond”. And though running is the running theme that binds Ali and her guests together, this podcast goes far beyond the track to deliver interesting, thoughtful, and inspiring conversations.
In this podcast, fitness and weight loss expert Vinnie Tortorich “dispels the widespread mistaken beliefs regarding weight loss and exercise and teaches us how to lose weight, get fit and reclaim our lives”. Covering topics from the effects of sugary drinks and the dangers of steroids to goal-setting and obesity. This one’s a great listen for anyone interested in health and fitness, but also specifically those looking to lose weight.
You may already be familiar with a little platform called TED Talks… But did you also know about their podcast? In this informative show, “TED speakers answer questions you never even knew you had, and share ideas you won’t hear anywhere else, all around how we can live healthier lives”. Some of their most recent episodes (at the time of writing) discuss the “mood-boosting power of crying”, how to manage stress, and why it’s ok to forget things.
If you’re interested in marathons then this podcast is for you. Annie Spencer “shares her knowledge and experience as both a marathoner and registered nurse to help you run smarter, feel better, and go the distance”. Whatever your current running level and whatever your goals, Marathon Training Academy is certain to keep you inspired.
Host Emily Abbate talks to a range of individuals about their successes and, perhaps more importantly, failures. It’s a wellness-focussed podcast, and is a fantastic place to find inspiration, especially if you’re feeling stuck or lacking motivation.
We’ll let the description of this podcast speak for itself: “Twenty Minute Fitness brings you the best news and advice on nutrition, health, weight loss and digital health in less than 20 minutes!”
Though an all-round excellent listen, this podcast is brilliant for those more interested in the nutritional aspect of health and wellness. Eat, Move and Live Better dives deep into lots of food-related topics. These include whether dairy is good or bad for you, why it can be difficult to stop overeating, and nutritional strategies that can lower your risk of Alzheimer’s disease. In their own words, “the one message we’d like to share is this: You CAN get healthy and fit while still living your life”.
A Speedo poster once said: “You’re only one swim away from a good mood.” But there’s lots more to be gained from swimming than an improved state of mind. In fact, there’s a whole host of health benefits associated with water-based exercise.
So here’s a round-up of 9 of the most powerful and impressive ways swimming can improve your health.
Makes for a healthier heart
Studies have shown that swimmers have lower heart rates, more stable blood pressure, and improved circulation and breathing when compared with their non-swimming counterparts.
This is very good news for the heart-conscious. And as it’s a cardio exercise (and an excellent one, at that), swimming will work your heart harder than normal, shaping and strengthening it until it’s as healthy as ever.
A study has shown that men can reduce their risk of diabetes by 6% for every 500 calories burned per weekthrough aerobic exercise (that’s roughly 45 minutes of breast stroke). And that women can reduce their risk by 16% simply by partaking in vigorous exercise just once a week.
Regulates breathing
Learning a proper breathing technique is one of the best things you can do for your body. Some health benefits of deep breathing include better circulation (increased oxygen to the heart), improved respiratory system function, and reduced anxiety.
Swimming not only increases your lung capacity, but it forces you to adopt a proper breathing technique.
As regular swimming leads to a lower heart rate, improved blood pressure, and more efficient functioning of the lungs, breathing, by extension, becomes much easier.
Improves wellbeing
Like most forms of exercise, swimming releases endorphins, and endorphins lift your mood. As well as this, swimming is unique in that the rhythmic and flowing style of the exercise itself produces a calming effect. So you’ll feel happier and more relaxed.
Swimming on a regular basis could help to reduce feelings of anxiety and depression, as well as promoting healthier sleep.
Swimming could extend your life
For anyone hoping to live well into old age, it looks like swimming could hold the answer.
A 32 year-long study following over 40,000 men, aged between 20 and 90, found that those who swam had a 50% lower death rate than runners, walkers, and those who didn’t exercise at all. This is an incredible result, and with such a huge margin it’s hard to deny that there may be something in it…
Improves Coordination
Your body engages lots of muscles when swimming. Upper body, lower body, hands, arms, legs, feet, head. All your limbs have to work together in order to not only keep you afloat but keep you moving. So coordination is crucial for success in the water.
Learning to move the different parts of your body separately, at varying speeds, in perfect rhythm, is great for building coordination skills.
Builds core strength
Swimming is great for your core. Despite the fact that it’s generally heavier on the upper body, it engages so many muscles that the core naturally gets an excellent workout.
Not only that, but it can also help make you lean and toned. Swimmer’s shoulders, anyone?
Increases flexibility
The range of motion required to swim, along with the unusual muscle movements, can aid and encourage flexibility. The fact that there’s little stress being put on your joints and bones means that your muscles can relax. And when your muscles are relaxed, there’s more opportunity for them to stretch out.
Swimming can also be a great way of recovering after a more intense workout, as swimming can help prevent muscle tightness.
Helps you sleep
In a study focussing on older adults suffering from chronic insomnia, participants reported boosts in sleep quality and overall quality of life after engaging in regular aerobic exercise.
Meditation is an incredibly popular form of wellness management. It’s a safe, simple, cheap, and portable way to stay healthy and happy. And it can serve as an excellent supplementary practise to our regular exercise routines.
As a matter of fact, there are many ways in which meditation can be beneficial to our health and wellbeing. Let’s take a look at a few of them to see why meditation should be a component in every exercise regime.
And with many meditators reporting feeing calmer and more emotionally balanced after long periods of regular meditation, it’s easy to see why these beliefs are so common.
Another study, which followed up with volunteers three years after they undertook an eight-week meditation course, found that most of the participants had not only continued to meditate regularly, but had experienced a long-term decrease in anxiety levels.
Couple this with regular exercise, which is also known to be a powerful stress-reducer, and you have a powerful cocktail for lowering stress and boosting mood.
It improves sleep
Whether you live an active lifestyle or not, getting enough sleep is crucial. And with insomnia now being such a huge problem in the UK, finding ways to promote a healthy night’s sleep is a very worthwhile pursuit.
Luckily, meditation may be an answer. In one study it was found that participants who practised meditation fell asleep faster (and stayed asleep longer) than participants who didn’t meditate. The study went on to summarise that mindfulness meditation could be a tool used in the treatment of insomnia.
So a bit of exercise, followed by some meditation, might just have you sleeping better than ever!
Meditation may lower blood pressure
Another interesting potential benefit of regular meditation is that it could help to decrease blood pressure. High blood pressure can, in the long run, put a lot of strain on the heart, causing it to function improperly. And whilst there are many forms of exercise that can help to lower blood pressure, meditation could offer a low-impact, low-energy solution suitable for just about anyone.
It’s believed that blood pressure decreases during meditation sessions. Not only that, but those who meditate regularly may experience a decrease in blood pressure over much longer periods of time.
It could also aid weight loss
According to some, mindfulness has been shown to promote healthy eating habits, which in turn can help to change negative food-related thought patterns. And though this won’t lead to any overnight weightless, it can really help in the long run when dropping a few pounds is your goal.
It’s also believed that mindfulness meditation can help reduce emotional and stress-related eating by making us more aware of our thoughts and emotions. This can be of huge benefit when it comes to recognising and diminishing the negative and guilt-oriented thought patterns that can scupper the most sincere attempts at losing weight.
Meditation can improve self-image
Meditation can increase self-esteem, confidence, and self-compassion. Which can drastically improve the way we perceive ourselves and our bodies.
By being kinder to ourselves and becoming more accepting of how we look, we stand a better chance of remaining motivated to exercise regardless of whether or not it brings on a physical transformation.
It may seem far away from being an exercise-related benefit, but the reality is that for many people body image plays a huge role in why they workout. So it makes sense that if meditation can be of benefit to our self-image, it can also be of benefit to our exercise regimes.
The gentle path to fitness
For more on mindful, low-impact exercise, why not read up on the wonderful practises of tai chi and yin yoga.
We all want to live happier and healthier lives. That’s why we join gyms, swim, run, and watch what we eat. But aside from the more popular activities that help to keep us active and youthful, there are some that can easily fall under the radar (but which are just as effective). Tai chi, though incredibly popular in the East, is one such activity.
Developed in 13th Century China as a martial art, it offers a gentle route to physical balance and health.
And here’s a secret: practising tai chi on a regular basis can not only improve your physical health but your psychological wellbeing too.
So here’s a brief overview of some of the reasons to consider adopting this wonderful exercise into your lifestyle.
Tai chi: the martial art for everyone
Due to its incredibly low-impact nature, tai chi is suitable for almost anyone. Young or old, active or inactive. Its movements are slow and subtle, and its focus is more on balance, flexibility, and wellbeing rather than aerobic fitness or strength.
That said, tai chi could be perfect for older exercisers. Especially those who haven’t engaged in any physical activity for a long time. It could also be great for anyone who wishes to become more active but, for whatever reason, is unable to participate in more strenuous activities.
As an exercise, it’s easy-going on the joints, and very laid back in terms of physical output.
Balance
Another fantastic benefit of tai chi is its ability to improve physical balance. The slow, controlled movements performed in this activity promote stability in the core. Also, the combination of leg and arm movements help to develop and improve coordination.
One major advantage to developing better balance is the reduced risk of falling that comes with it. As a result, it can also serve to build confidence, especially in elderly participants who may be more likely to suffer from trips and falls.
Of the many negative side effects, one is bad posture. And a remedy for bad posture is tai chi.
Tai chi is heavily focussed on stance and movement. And in order to perform the movements correctly, you must first adopt the proper stance and hold the correct posture. Soover time, practising tai chi may not only help to combat the negative effects of sitting, but may also improve your general posture. Also, tai chi can have you up and moving for an hour or two when you might otherwise have been at home sitting down.
Stress
Stress is a major issue in the modern world. And though it affects people throughout the world, it’s estimated that nearly half of British people suffer from long-term stress. We live faster, busier, more hectic lives today than ever before. And engaging in exercise to reduce stress and promote physiological harmony should be a top priority for all of us.
A popular reason for practising tai chi is its inherent stress-reducing qualities. Its mellow nature, along with the required deep breathing and rhythmic movements, can induce feelings of relaxation and wellbeing. In some ways, it can be seen as a moving form of meditation.
This makes tai chi a perfect candidate for a post-work de-stressing ritual. It provides a drastic shift in pace, encouraging us to go slow and be mindful of ourselves.
Strength
In an article from Harvard Medical School, tai chi can improve both lower- and upper-body strength. And if practised on a regular basis, “tai chi can be comparable to resistance training and brisk walking”.
The unsupported arm movements involved in tai chi postures help to strengthen the arms, and the forms in general can build core and lower-body strength.
Arthritis
According to a study by researchers at the Tufts School of Medicine, tai chi can produce the same benefits as physical therapy for people suffering from knee osteoarthritis. The average participant was 60 years old, and many were obese. The patients were randomly assigned to two different groups. One group would practise tai chi twice a week for twelve weeks; and the other would undergo physical therapy twice a week for six weeks, and then do six weeks of exercise at home. At the end of the 12 weeks both groups reported “equal improvement in pain and related health outcomes”.
