Feel Better at Your Desk: 3 Easy Options for Workplace Wellness

It is no secret that modern life has impacted our ability to move as the human body originally evolved to do. From staring at screens hunched over to unfavorably designed chairs at our desks, we are slowly degrading our functional mobility.

Here at Solmira, we believe in proactive strategies for workplace wellness that can not only prevent the effects of stagnant daily life, but also improve your overall vitality and mobility.

Let's look into five different ways you can easily interrupt your work day to improve your wellness (and pssssst...for any manager, owner, or other higher-up reading this - encouraging your employees to do this also can improve productivity and reduced the number of days missed for wellness-related reasons).

Interruptor #1: The Light Walk

You'd have to be living under a rock to not know that walking is one of the best low-impact ways to improve your health. Regular walking helps to:

• Improve function of the digestive system, heart, lungs, muscles, and joints

• Strengthen bones and immune system

• Reduce chronic disease

• Elevate brain function and mental wellness

• Manage weight

We get it - at work you do not have time to take a 30 minute walk, but think of it more this way - ever hour, take a quick 2-3 minute walk around your building (or get outside if you can). Think of it as the healthy version of a smoke break. Focus on inhaling through your nose, exhaling through your mouth as you enjoy your jaunt.

In 2 minutes you elevate your heart rate, loosen stiff joints and muscles, activate those peskily sluggish brain cells, and increase energy. This returns you to your desk ready to tackle the next major task. In the long term, six 2-minute walks a day adds up to 130 minutes of walking a month. Six 3-minute walks PLUS a 15-minute lunch walk (go after you eat to improve digestion) gives you almost 12 hours of walking a month.

***to increase the functionality, if you are able, include some stairs on your walks!***

Interruptor #2: Change your Position

Creating space for your body to be AWARE of how it is supporting itself is one of the key components of having alternative seating in your work area.

First, let's talk about your pelvic floor. The pelvic floor is an internal sling-like set of muscles that supports a lot of our internal organs and directly impacts our balance. Proper breathing (see number 3) can activate your pelvic floor. At Solmira, we offer pelvic floor therapy through the Emsella chair - a device that uses high-frequency stimulation to activate the deep pelvic floor - way more effective than kegels (which, if we are being honest, most people are actually just performing sphincter exercises).

In order for any device/position to be effective - proper alignment and pelvic floor function are essential. Not sure if you are doing it right? We are happy to get you in with Dr. Sara, our Physical Therapist, for an evaluation.

Here are three options to revolutionize your positioning options:

Level 1: Exercise Ball

Using an exercise ball is first and foremost super fun, and it is also great for engaging the core and providing movement while you are working.

Exercise Ball with Low Holder

Exercise Ball Chair

Level 2: Kneeler Chair

I personally have a kneeler chair in my office and sit in a variety of ways - feet on the ground, feet on the knee rests, knees on the knee rest, butterfly legs, and when my ADHD really kicks in, there are a lot of other unhinged ways to use it (we do not recommend these).

Kneeling Desk Chair (basic)

Multi-Use Cross-Legged Chair

Level 3: Standing Desk Converter (option to add walking pad)

If you really want to give the ultimate of options - combine Level 1 or 2 with a desk converter, which allows you to stand for portions of the day. If you are feeling really motivated, add in a walking pad (go slow) and keep that body moving while you work.

Standing Desk Converter

Walking Pad for Office

Talk to your boss (or yourself if you're your own boss), and strategize what works best for you. If you are working with a practitioner for any health conditions, chat with them about what would enhance your treatment.

Interruptor #3: Functional Strength & Mobility

When we really get down to the brass tax, ultimately how we care for our bodies outside of work matters. Utilizing mobility and core-centered workouts that also provide stretching are imperative to longevity. Pilates is one of the best methods to develop balance, core strength, flexibility, and joint mobility. At Solmira, we also have a functional strength and mobility trainer that provides hybrid workouts combining traditional strength training, primal mobility movement, Pilates, yoga, and elements of dance.

Not able to make it to our beautiful studio (but you should) or don't have access to one in your hometown? The internet is a wildly resourceful place for at-home workouts and routines. Stay tuned for our own!

What about at work? You know those two-minute walking breaks you are going to start taking? Finish them with some gentle mobility work each time. Here are six easy mobility movements to tack on to the end of each of your walks throughout your work day:

1. Bear Holds: On the ground with your heels against a wall, find tabletop position (on hands and knees). Ensure your shoulders are stacked over your elbows which are stacked over your wrists, and that your hips and knees are in alignment.

   1. Flex your toes, drive heels into the wall and gently lift your knees about 1-2" off the ground;

   2. Use your core/belly to pull your thigh bones up into the hips to keep pelvis neutral;

   3. Hold for 10 seconds, then release back down;

   4. Repeat 10x.

2. Dead Bugs: On the ground in reverse tabletop (lie on your back with feet in the air, knees bent at 90 degrees)with arms straight up from the shoulder joint.

   1. Slowly lower your right foot down to the ground, keeping the 90 degree bend while you simultaneously lower your left arm to the ground over head;

   2. Bring right foot and left leg back to starting position;

   3. Repeat movement with left foot and right arm;

   4. Maintain connection between the ground and your low back for the duration of the exercise by imagining drawing your ribcage to the top of your hip bones;

   5. Inhale while you lower, exhale as you return to start;

   6. Slow, controlled pace matters!

   7. Continue exercise for 1 minute, rest, and repeat up to 3x

3. Sphinx: Lay on your stomach and prop up on your elbows focusing on rib to hip connection outlined above and breath 30 seconds, then go flat for 30 sec, then prop back up. Repeat 10x

4. Standing Back Stretch: With the palms of your hand pushing on the sacrum/SI Joint (where your spine meets your hips on the lower back,

   1. inhale as you extend forming a small backbend by reaching your head toward the meeting of the wall and the ceiling behind you

   2. exhale and hold

   3. inhale and slowly come upright

   4. exhale to reset and repeat (15x)

5. Thoracic Spine Wall Stretch : Grab a solid chair and sit at the edge of the chairsit at edge of chair, hip hinge torso forward to reach forearms toward the wall, inhale, exhale connect ribcage down as directed above and hold that with 40% effort - inhales, sink chest/sternum forward toward wall, exhale hold, inhale return to neutral, exhale reset. Keep nose in line with sternum, don't let head position lead them movement, lead with sternum

6. Mindful Breathing Practice: Colored Dot Stickers on the 3 things you look at the most (computer, phone, etc) every time you see one:

   1. Am I breathing in my belly or chest?

   2. Am I wearing my shoulders as earrings?

   3. Where is my head? 

   4. Am I clenching my jaw?

   5. Am I sitting evenly on my sits bones with my feet on the floor? 

Regardless of how you approach your wellness, one thing always remains true: controlled movement with proper posture is what the body not only craves, but needs, to stay moving as we progress through life.

Have questions? Feel free to reach out to our director: director@solmirawellness.com

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References:

Buffey AJ, et al. The acute effects of interrupting prolonged sitting time in adults with standing and light-intensity walking on biomarkers of cardiometabolic health: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Med. 2022;52(8):1883–1902. doi:10.1007/s40279-022-01649-4.