Have a desk job that drains you out? Do this one thing to stay energetic!

Here is how you can be more productive at your desk job without tiring.

By: Debjani Arora | | Updated: January 19, 2018 5:48 pm

Sitting long hours at your desk is definitely not going to make you healthy. But if you think that it is the only way you can up your productivity, well you are wrong. Your body needs a break from sitting for too long to help you cope with the demands of your job and keep your spirits high. In fact, the way in which you sit at your desk also has an impact on your mood and well-being. Did you know sitting for too long can make one sad and depressed? Also Read - Do you sit for prolonged periods? Just 11 minutes of exercise a day can help keep diseases at bay

Also Read - How many calories do you burn while sitting, sleeping, walking + other leisure activities?

An erect spine goes a long way in keeping you happy, cheerful and productive. But we all know that we fail to sit the right way at our desk as our body tires out after a certain point. The right way to sit would be to keep the spine erect, feet planted on the floor, thighs parallel to the ground. But when we sit for long and the body gets tired we unknowingly retire to a more comfortable but damaging sitting position. We slouch and haunch at our desk. This wrong sitting habit coupled with the 10 or 12 hours that we spend at the desk is the bane of all health problems that we are suffering from in the recent times. Read to know if it is okay to sit crossed leg in a chair. Also Read - Get rid of your excess weight with this 5-minute towel exercise

In fact, the American Journal of Preventive Medicine points out that people who sit at their desk for more than seven hours each day are three times more at risk of experiencing depressive symptoms than those who sit for less than four hours a day. Women are more prone to depressive symptoms than men. In fact, our body gives cues that it is getting tired of sitting but we hardly pay attention to it. Before any kind of depressive symptoms set in you tend to feel low and sad. If you are slouching or hunching at that time, you are doing more harm to your body.

So here is how to keep yourself from falling prey to depression if you sit long hours at your desk: take frequent breaks. But wait, here is the catch. Taking break doesn t mean just gossiping with your co-worker or walking down the corridor. In fact, Dr Nilesh Makwana, Director and consulting physiotherapist, Muscle N Mind Physiotherapy Centre suggests turning these breaks into short exercise activities. Sitting at your desk for long hours tire you out, but taking a break and roaming around mindlessly won t help. If one can do some activities during the breaks, one can significantly increase his/her energy levels. It could mean as simple as taking the stairs down for a stroll or a brisk walk in the corridor or a short jog, whatever suits you. Getting up from your desk and taking a slow, slumped walk, on the other hand, can just drain you of our energy, says Dr Makwana.

In fact, Dr Makwana also pointed out that people who fail to do constructive things or boost themselves during the breaks find themselves to be more depressed and drained out of energy. So, remember to take frequent breaks and give your body a boost to recover from sitting-lethargy.

Reference:

1: van Uffelen JG, van Gellecum YR, Burton NW, Peeters G, Heesch KC, Brown WJ.Sitting-time, physical activity, and depressive symptoms in mid-aged women. Am J Prev Med. 2013 Sep;45(3):276-81. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2013.04.009. PubMed PMID: 23953353.

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Published : January 19, 2018 5:48 pm | Updated:January 19, 2018 5:48 pm

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