(By Dr Robert Delgado) Long periods of sitting, stress and computer work can take a toll on your health. However, these changes will give you a new lease on life…
Work on your health
Many of us spend a large portion of our day at work. Long periods of sitting, stress and computer work can take a toll on our bodies. However, the following seven tips will help boost your health, productivity and happiness:
Tip 1: Improve your posture
Your sitting position is crucial for the health of your brain and body. For every inch your head drops forward the stress on your spine multiplies by a factor of 10. This can cause neck pain, headaches and constant shoulder stiffness.
If you find that slouching is your natural position it may mean you have a mechanical problem in your spine that should be corrected. Getting checked by a chiropractor who specialises in postural correction is highly recommended. Look at correcting the cause, instead of treating the effects.
Tip 2: Get up every 45 minutes
When you sit for hours without getting up, do you find yourself feeling refreshed and rested by the end of the day, or tired and lethargic? It is a fact that when we have spent all day sitting, most of us will actually feel like our battery has lost charge; which is exactly what is happening as movement charges the brain.
Did you know that we sit for about 32 years of our lives – resulting in the fact that we are all severely deficient in movement? The health consequences of this have led some scientists to call sitting ‘the new smoking’. By moving more, your physical and mental performance will improve.
Tip 3: Stay hydrated
The lull we feel around 3pm is often dehydration. Drink at least two litres of water per day and you may find that you don’t even need that second cup of coffee.
Tip 4: Eat real food
Eating food in its natural state will ensure that your body is getting all the nutrients it needs and will also assist in reducing your body’s toxic load. Remember that food is not just a fuel to keep you going; it is what your body uses in all its chemical processes. If your food comes in a box or has ingredients you can’t pronounce on the label, it’s probably best to stay away.
Tip 5: Breathe deeply
Breathing properly is one of the pillars of health. Stress causes us to breathe shallowly, depriving us of oxygen. Spend five minutes twice a day breathing in for five seconds and then out for five seconds. This breathing rate of six breaths per minute has been shown to enhance your body’s ability to cope with stress.
Tip 6: Do away with multitasking
Technology forces us to multitask, but our brains are not wired to do this. Multitasking causes stress and frustration. Use a to-do list and deeply concentrate on one task at a time. This will make you both more efficient and healthier at the same time.
Tip 7: Be grateful
Being grateful is not about ignoring the challenges in your life. It’s about taking the time to focus your attention on what is going well. If you have a roof over your head, you have something to be grateful for. Stop and smell the roses and notice the small pleasures in life. This small change in mind-set will have a drastic effect on your quality of life.