Desk-Based Workers
Sitting Disease: The Silent Killer
The average person spends 9 hours a day sitting down. That’s more time than we spend sleeping! And it’s not just bad for our waistlines. Sitting for long periods of time can lead to a number of health problems, including:
- Heart disease
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Cancer
- High blood pressure
- Eyesight problems
- Mental health issues
- Chronic pain
- Reduced productivity
But there is good news. You can reduce your risk of these health problems by moving more and sitting less.
Here are a few tips:
- Get up and move around every 20-30 minutes. Take a walk, stretch, or do some light exercises.
- Use a standing desk. This will help you stay active throughout the day. But DON’T stand all day, vary position regularly.
- Take breaks throughout the day. Get up and move around, or step outside for some fresh air.
- Exercise regularly. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise most days of the week.
- Eat a healthy diet. This will help you maintain a healthy weight and reduce your risk of chronic diseases.
- Get enough sleep. Most adults need 7-8 hours of sleep per night.
- Manage stress. There are many ways to manage your stress levels, from exercise, to breathing practices.
Beating Back Pain & More
If you’re struggling with back pain, Pilates can be a great way to relieve pain and improve your flexibility and strength. Pilates is a low-impact exercise methodology, of which a couple of key focuses are core strength, posture, balance, and mobility. It’s a great way to improve how you move, feel, and look – but also where you can work to a level that is good for you as an individual.
I offer a 30-day free trial of my Pilates on demand program. This is a great way to try Pilates and see if it’s right for you. The On Demand platform has been designed with busy, desk-based/sedentary workers in mind.
Don’t let sitting disease get you down. Make a commitment to move more and sit less today. Your health depends on it.
Why Me?
If you have not already read my “About Me” or watched my video outlining my battle with back pain, then believe me when I say that I feel your pain. Coming from a corporate financial services sales background, combined with my long history in various impact sports and exercise, and having being a long-term chronic back pain sufferer, I have lived through the hours hunched at a desk, over a steering wheel, and long meetings sat around a table. I have designed my talks, and my online Pilates membership options to help people going through the same struggles that I faced.
Employee Wellbeing
I’ve felt the pain, suffered the detrimental effects on my body and mind, for years a lunch break wasn’t a thing and I have witnessed with frustration the hugely counter-productive effects that this type of culture has on a business and the people who make it what it is.
I can provide tailored talks on this subject to help to encourage employees to move more, along with tips around habit change in line with a desktop appraisal to check DSE set up. I can consult management to try and help to implement an improved culture, as well as specific advice around desks, chairs and other equipment to give your workforce the tools they need to move more and vary position.
In addition, I can arrange drop-in sessions for you and your employees which can include postural assessments, conversations around pain with lifestyle advice, recommendations of exercises to help manage pain, balance the body and maintain health and wellbeing.
Practical, technical and fun modern Pilates sessions can also be provided if you have the appropriate space on site as a one-off or ongoing arrangement.
Pilates has been shown to:
- Improve posture
- Ease and even cure back, neck and shoulder pain
- Enhance sports performance
- Reduce the severity and rate of occurrence of injury
- Aid injury recovery
- Strengthen the entire body with a particular focus on core strength
- Increase flexibility and mobility
- Balances the body improving muscular function
- Enhance focus
- Reduce stress
Please do get in touch if you want to help your employees become healthier, happier and more productive.