Better Life Style for Well-being

Here are some simple and very effective tips that we've developed and collected just for you, the desk- and computer-athlete:

Move as much as you can!

Our bodies were designed to move freely and often. We frustrate our physical selves when we coop them up behind a desk, or in front of a computer for long periods of time. Our massage therapy textbooks told us that musculoskeletal motion accounts for at least half of our circulation! I couldn't believe it when I first read that, but now I know it to be true. The gentle pumping motion of our muscles assists blood and lymph flow dramatically, and makes us feel alive and less stagnant.
start by walking - the simple act of walking moves every single joint in our bodies, gently and thoroughly, and keeps them well lubricated and ready for action
move your whole body - when you reach for the telephone, or work the mouse, use your entire arm, including the shoulder. This will gently move your back muscles which tend to get tired and painful after a long session at the computer or simply sitting still. Think of your "arm" as beginning at the tip of your little finger and extending all the way to the bottom point of your shoulder blade. It all works together!
set a timer - if you are stuck at a desk (like we both were) for most of your working day, set an inexpensive kitchen timer to gently remind you to "come up for air" every hour or so. Get up, roll your shoulders, walk to the water fountain, or give yourself a change of scenery for a moment.
try to remember what it felt like to move as a child - when we were kids, we moved without thinking. Now that we're adults, we think too much about the way we move, about what we might look like. Let your body be free! Let it move the way it wants to!

Breathe!

This is one we can't stress enough. Breath is the energy of life. It animates us and keeps our blood oxygenated. Deep, slow breathing triggers relaxation, lowers blood pressure, and makes us more alert. The action of the ribs and diaphragm during breathing massages our internal organs, and is the prime mover of lymph, the substance that caries cell waste away and keeps our tissues clean and healthy. The pressure differentials in our upper and lower chest cavities during breathing also assists in pumping our blood. When sitting at a desk, or behind a steering wheel, we don't get enough deep breathing to keep our systems functioning in top-notch order; its one reason we feel stale, tired, and toxic at the end of a long day at the office.
for relaxation and to melt off stress, do ten cycles of deep, slow inhalations and exhalations - inhaling to a count of 6 or 8, bring air deeply into your lungs. Feel your ribs moving and expanding. Let your stomach pooch out! (Nobody's watching, really!). At the top of your inhalation, let your air escape through your mouth with a "whooshing" sound, and slowly but gently squeeze out all the air. One inhale/exhale is a cycle. Do 10.
for renewed vigor, try "bellows breathing" - this is a yogic breathing exercise that is recommended by yoga practitioners, and also by Andrew Weil, M.D., the modern health guru. This exercise is good for getting you going again quickly when you feel sluggish and sleepy. To do it, breathe through your nose rapidly in and out, about two cycles per second for about 10 seconds to start, working your way up to 1 full minute after you have been doing this exercise for a while. Its harder than you might imagine, but it also provides you with an amazing amount of renewed energy and clarity. Stop immediately if you feel lightheaded.

Stretch!

Stretching gently resets the muscles' resting length back to what it should be. It also reminds your proprioceptors (specialized nerve endings that tell your body about its position) that your muscles can get back to a normal resting length. Stretching reduces neurological activity, as well, and contributes to lowered stress levels and increases your feelings of well-being. And it just feels good, too.
try Yoga or T'ai Chi Chuan, or a stretching class! - Our clients who do these simple things improve their resting and working lives many times over. Their tissues are more supple, their stress levels are lower, they are more alert, and they can move and sleep easier at night. You really won't believe what it can do for you until you try it. Trust us!
simply stretch what feels good - trust your body; it knows what it needs.Exercise! Do what you can on this one. Every little bit counts.
try a Pilates class - Pilates (Pih-LAH-tees) is a form of rehabilitative exercise created by Joseph Pilates, a German physical therapist.

Constructive Rest!

There is a very simple thing that Alexander Technique teachers have their students do: constructive rest. It is very simple, and wonderfully effective:
lie flat on your back on the floor for about 20 minutes each evening with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. (maybe put a small hand towell underneath your neck for support). This feels wonderful, and very, very gently allows your back muscles to unwind, and for your spine to lengthen and re-hydrate after being compressed by gravity all day. This is the perfect remedy for "computer shoulders" pain, and over time, this simple exercise has tremendous benefits.