WiseDollar

Sitting in a spot for too long, as is common in most workplaces, is responsible for a myriad of health problems ranging from weight gain, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and other health complications. 

One study even found that people who sit in a spot all day have 40% more risk of dying from health related complications.?

This is not to say that your work is likely to kill you before your time, however, working in a sedentary position for too long is not good, and you should consider taking a few simple steps to improve your health while at work. 

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle out of the office is also important. Eating healthy meals, drinking lots of fluid, and getting enough rest will put you in great shape for the next day?s work. You should also consider taking out some form of health insurance, which will help cover for part of your medical bills, should you fall sick.?

Here are a few easy exercises you can do from your desk to improve your health at work.

Stretching

Office work can be quite exhausting, and working in one position for long can be uncomfortable. When you are hunched over your desk or computer, you put your cervical spine and shoulders under pressure. After a while, this part of your body will stiffen, which can cause pain or feelings of discomfort. 

To prevent this uncomfortable experience, perform a simple stretching exercise at different times of the day to relax your spine and shoulders. All you need to do is interlock your fingers, then lift your arms and reach backwards. You should feel a stretch in your chest, shoulders, and back while you are performing this exercise.?

Stretching improves your flexibility, reduces stress, and helps prevent injury.?

Leg exercises

Sitting for too long can reduce circulation, especially in the legs. When you finally want to move, you may experience cramps, and feel tiny pinpricks in your legs, a sign or renewed blood circulation to the dormant areas. These experiences are not just uncomfortable, but also painful.

To avoid poor blood circulation to the legs due to prolonged sitting, you can perform this simple leg exercise. 

While on your seat, extend your legs as far as they would go (preferably not under the desk). Then try to touch your toes with your fingers. Return to a sitting position and repeat the process a few more times. 

Squats

There are several benefits of squatting, but this exercise is particularly useful for relieving pressure on your lower back, your quads, and your buttocks.?

You can perform chair squats or full squats depending on your office space and the amount of time you have. 

To perform chair squats, stand a few inches away from your chair, and lower yourself slowly until your buttocks hit the edge of your chair. Repeat this a few times before getting back into your seat. 

Full squats require more space and involve lowering your body slowly until you are fully squatting close to the floor. Do this a few times, and the resume your normal work.

Wrist and finger exercises

If your job requires that you spend a lot of time typing or writing, wrist and fingers exercises will help relieve the pressure in that part of your hands. 

To perform this simple exercise, you will have to stand up, place your wrists on your desk, facing them away from you; you will then begin to apply pressure gently until you feel the stretch. Maintain that posture for a few seconds, and repeat. 

After doing the fingers, you can do a basic wrist exercise but circling your wrist any which way. This will also help improve circulation and encourage flexibility.