Move more, feel better, enjoy living, increase your health span.
Sitting less living longer?
In this article in the Guardian last week, prompted by work published by Professor of Behavioural Medicine and Exercise Physiologist Keith Diaz (profile), the question is asked “I’m old, sedentary and slouch a lot – will sitting less help me live longer?” What Sam Wollaston describes is the problem faced by most of our clients at Balance Performance, the vast majority of those living in London actually: Londoners health suffers from sitting for too long and moving too little. However, knowing this and doing something about it are two very different prospects and as we get older changing habits seems even more of an uphill struggle.
Forming a habit of movement
The solutions are simple and the results powerful; but as simple as it is, you need a plan for establishing a habit and sustaining it.
Most people can agree with and understand the fact that for good health and wellness it is essential to move frequently throughout the day, every day, in a diverse way (diverse positions, directions, speeds, intensities, locations, environments, on your own or in the company of others etc etc). However, doing something about it remains a major challenge for people to:
- address it practically,
- begin a habit of movement and exercise,
- sustain it.
“So if you have a job or lifestyle where you have to sit for prolonged periods of time, we suggest taking a movement break every half hour. This one behavior change could reduce your risk of death…” Dr Keith Diaz (article).
So what next?
Balance has a large and diverse team of individuals, some of whom are therapists, some coaches. Here are a few suggestions on who you could see to address the points in this blog:
- To learn how to engage head on the challenges of your work environment, learn how to move more without interrupting work flow, understand and practice what constitutes a “movement break”. Feel better and hurt less, book a session with Jonathan Lewis.
- For creative bursts of activity to interrupt sitting whilst at work or to engage in a longer lasting movement programme that can release your restrictions as well as satisfy your fitness and workout needs book a session with Julien Diaz or Mike Doxey
- For advice on chairs and sit-stand desks, ergonomic and workstation assessments, see Lucy Goldby
- For the assessment and treatment of work related back, neck and arm pain come and see one of the back and neck pain team, a wealth of experience is available and an approach that will suit you as an individual. One size does not fit all.
