Movement each day will keep the doctor away

Good Move - even at your desk!

A recent Norwegian study found the health risks and mortality rate associated with sedentary behaviour can decrease with just 22 minutes of exercise per day. 

Adults spend on average a staggering 9 -10 hours per day being sedentary, with the majority of this being made up during work hours… Ever feel like you are glued to your desk? Many of our daily activities are sedentary, ranging from travelling, driving, office work and the simple pleasure of netflix on the couch. 

A recent Norwegian study, “Device-measured physical activity, sedentary time, and risk of all-cause mortality”, found the health risks and mortality rate associated with sedentary behaviour can decrease with just 22 minutes of exercise per day. 

The study collated data from four cohort studies and analysed approximately 12,000 individuals aged over 50 to monitor their physical activity rates via wearable technology. It found that those who were sedentary for more than 12 hours per day, had a 38% higher mortality rate, than those who were sedentary for 8 hours per day. 

In fact those completing 22 minutes of physical activity per day were associated with lower mortality risk irrespective of the amount of sedentary time. There are many activities we simply can’t avoid that are sedentary, working at a desk, driving, or simply relaxing at the end of the day. The solution is simple - commit to movement each day to unlock these benefits and long term health risks. 

The Good Move is your simple guide to ensure you can break up your day with movement and brain breaks - it really is a no brainer! Benefits are both short and long term. In the short term, feel less stressed during the day, improve your focus and change posture for your back. The long term benefits of this habit will reduce the health risks and mortality rate - get good moving today! 

Unlock the short and long term health benefits by creating this habit today!

are you feeling stressed or burned out?

Workplace stress has reached an all time high, according to recent research by Gallup. 85% of executives surveyed by Harvard Business Review Analytic Services, agreed mental health is a priority, yet only 27% say their own organisation consciously prioritises mental health.

Calm has identified 5 signs of burnout - complete this quick self assessment:

1. CONSTANT FATIGUE - Are you feeling physically and mentally exhausted? Do you lack the energy to be productive or find it hard to concentrate at work?

2. FEELING SUPER “MEH” - Are you feeling generally unmotivated and uninterested in work or life. Do you often ask yourself, what is the point?

3. PHYSICAL SIGNS - Are you noticing tension headaches, muscle tension, high blood pressure, stomach problems?

4. CHANGES TO NORMAL PATTERNS - Are you noticing changes to your diet or sleep patterns?

5. EMOTIONAL OUTBURSTS - Do you feel irritable, impatient or becoming short with those around you?

According to new research from Calm, work is in fact now the number one stressor in people’s lives. Incorporating regular breaks into your workday helps reduce stress accumulating that leads to burnout. 1 in 3 workers say they regularly take breaks (excluding restroom and meals) with the remaining 2 out of 3 rarely taking a break - which one are you?

Scheduling regular micro breaks within your day can reduce stress build up and help your energy & focus. The Good Move delivers physical movement in short bite size sessions so you can unlock both the physical and mental health and wellbeing benefits associated with breaks - it really is a no brainer!

2/3rds of employees do not take regular breaks

Contributors of stress can be multifaceted and has various impacts on the workplace and most importantly to an individual's overall health and wellbeing. There are many benefits of promoting health and wellbeing in the workplace:

• Reduce stress and burnout

• Improve employee engagement 

• Improve productivity and quality 

• Reduce employee turnover

The Good Move is available for individual subscription and corporate packages to promote mental and physical health. Access a free trial to build this daily habit to your routine or get in touch to see how The Good Move can transform your workplace!

Exercising for two

There is one constant during pregnancy - and that is change! Your body undergoes significant physical, hormonal and emotional change as it prepares for the growth and delivery of a baby. Hormones play a significant role in preparing your body for childbirth and in the growth and development of a baby. In fact, a reproductive hormone, relaxin, is released throughout your body to make the ligaments in your pelvis lax in preparation for pregnancy and delivery.

The baby is rapidly changing as they develop and grow from the initial stages of the size of a poppy seed to a plum to a grapefruit and, in the final weeks, to the size of a mini watermelon. During your pregnancy your mood and emotions may change as you experience fatigue, nausea, heartburn and you learn to navigate this daunting, yet magical, period of your life.

So, does the way you exercise need to change?

In general, for low-risk pregnant women, exercise is both safe, beneficial and highly recommended. Whilst there are some modifications and signs to be aware of, exercise can, and is encouraged to, continue throughout pregnancy. Of course, if you have medical complications, you should seek advice from your health care professional before commencing exercise.

There are many benefits from exercise during pregnancy. These include:

· Reducing the risk of gestational diabetes

· Preparing for labour and recovery

· Strengthening pelvic floor or musculoskeletal issues

· Managing anxiety and depression

· Lowering incidence of gestational hypertension or preeclampsia

Recommendations

Based on your pre-pregnancy exercise levels, the guidelines recommend to achieve exercise levels per week of either:

· 2.5 to 5 hours of moderate intensity physical activity

· 1.25 to 2.5 hours of vigorous intensity physical activity

· Muscle strengthening activities at least 2 days each week

Remember, some activity is better than none! Always listen to your body and make adjustments as you need. This is particularly relevant during the first trimester if you are experiencing morning sickness and fatigue.

Talk Test

During pregnancy your resting heart rate is elevated and you may notice getting out of breath more easily. When exercising, wearing a Smartwatch or heart rate monitor will allow you to keep track of your heart rate. An alternative tool to measure an appropriate level of exercise intensity is the Talk Test - can you comfortably hold a conversation whilst exercising?

Exercise

In the absence of contraindications or medical complications, pregnancy is a great opportunity to exercise for the health and wellbeing of yourself and baby. As a general rule of thumb, your pre- pregnancy exercise choices are an excellent indication of appropriate exercise choices during pregnancy - this probably isn’t the time to start running marathons or ballroom dancing, but it certainly is a time to commence activity if this is not already part of your routine.

Some suggestions include:

· Pilates (mat & reformer)

· Resistance training with weights

· Swimming, walking & cycling

· Dancing

· Stretching exercises

· Running - if you were running pre- pregnancy then, yes, indeed, the British Journal of Sports Medicine recommend continuing running during pregnancy.

Prenatal Exercise Guidelines

Exercise has many benefits during pregnancy, however, here are some key considerations to familiarise yourself with:

· Maintain hydration - drink water before, during and after exercise

· Avoid hot or humid environments - no Bikram or hot yoga/Pilates

· Avoid exercise that has a high risk of falling or collision - contact sports or super fancy moves on the reformer may increase risk of falling

· No breath holding

· Avoid prolonged isometric contractions such as planks - dynamic movement is a way around this

· Avoid significant changes in pressure (such as sky diving or scuba diving)

· Avoid supine exercises (laying on your back) after the first trimester

The Warning Signs To Stop Exercise

If you experience any of the below symptoms stop the exercise or activity and seek advice from your healthcare professional immediately:

· Vaginal bleeding

· Abdominal pain/painful contractions

· Amniotic fluid leakage

· Dizziness, headache, shortness of breath before exertion

· Chest pain

· Calf pain or swelling

Whilst there are some modifications and general warning signs to be aware of, physical activity and exercise is safe and beneficial to the health and wellbeing of both mother and baby. Pregnancy can be a daunting period with so much information and potential misinformation available, however, the guidelines support continuing or initiating exercise during pregnancy. The type, duration and intensity will vary from person to person; however, this is just the same for non-pregnant women which will vary from person to person. Exercise during pregnancy is preparing yourself for labour, postpartum recovery and let’s not forget the main event - the arrival of your baby!

Sit up straight a time to re-evaluate

You may remember many moons ago when the advice for treating back pain was bed rest! With emerging clinical evidence the advice and best clinical practice for back pain has evolved dramatically with movement being a key treatment. Similarly, posture is a topic that has commonly been adopted by clinicians to recommend sitting up straight, however there is no strong evidence that “perfect posture” does exist. The movement of thought (no pun intended!) has shifted to movement being key and changing posture regularly is in fact more important than trying to maintain a perfect static posture.

The Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy highlighted some key points in 2019; “Sit up straight - a time to re-evaluate”

• There is no single perfect posture or avoiding “incorrect” postures will prevent back pain

• The spine is a robust and adaptable structure and is capable of loading and moving in a variety of postures

• Differences in posture exist amongst individuals with variations in natural spinal curvatures

• Posture can reflect mood and provide insight into someone’s emotions

• Sitting is not dangerous - however it is recommended to change position regularly and moving is helpful

• Adopting more comfortable positions is safe

Could a certain posture be an aggravating factor for your back pain - sure. But this doesn’t mean it is inherently bad and should be avoided by all. What feels good for you will likely be different from what feels good for someone else. Sit in a way that feels comfortable for you, and when that feels uncomfortable, change it – the key here is to just keep moving! 

Back to back meetings - The good move has your back

If you have ever been victim to back to back meetings, a full diary of consultations or even one phone call after another, then you need to read this! Recent research from Microsoft has confirmed that back to back meetings lead to a build up of stress - but don't stress the solution is simple! Simply taking microbreaks between meetings can ensure you commence your next meeting in a more relaxed state, engaged and focused. 

Michael Bohan, senior director of Microsoft's Human Factors Engineering group, highlights that the research, "shows breaks are important, not just to make us less exhausted by the end of the day, but to actually improve our ability to focus and engage while in those meetings."

Researchers observed 14 participants in virtual back to back meetings wearing an electroencephalogram (ECG) to monitor the electrical activity in their brains. They compared the activity in their brains on another day, where each meeting was interspersed with a 10 minute break where all participants used the headspace app to mediate. 

The Findings?

The participants in the back to back meetings experienced a cumulative increase in beta activity and accumulation of stress. Whereas on the day where short breaks were interjected in between the meetings, beta activity dropped to allow a reset and ability to enter the next meeting less stressed, more engaged and focused. 

The Good Move offers a series of short 5 minute movement breaks that you can implement between your meetings. Not only will you get the benefits of taking a brain break and improving your focus for the next meeting, by moving your body regularly you are also decreasing the health risks associated with long periods of sedentary behaviour. 

Check out The Good Move today to see how your workplace can implement this simple strategy to unlock the power of micro breaks. 

Let’s act on inactivity

Last month, the World Health Organisation (WHO) released the findings from its "Global status report on physical activity 2022".

The report highlights the physical and mental health benefits that regular activity has for people of all ages. Interestingly, more than one in four adults do not meet the WHO's recommended level of physical activity, which is:

• At least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity per week or;

• 75 to 150 minutes vigorous- intensity aerobic physical activity

WHO’s guidelines of activity also recommend, by including muscle strengthening exercises at least twice a week will also add additional health benefits.

With the prevalence of working from home/shift to hybrid working, more of us find ourselves exercising less and an increased sedentary lifestyle. It is recommended to reduce sedentary behaviour, which is defined as;

Any waking behaviour characterized by an energy expenditure of 1.5 METS or lower while sitting, reclining, or lying. Most desk-based office work, driving a car, and watching television are examples of sedentary behaviours; these can also apply to those unable to stand, such as wheelchair users.

High periods of sedentary behaviour can be linked with increased cardiovascular risks, cancer, type-2 diabetes and other diseases.  As a friendly reminder, sedentary life also includes extended low movement seated time, I’m looking at you Netflix… which we are all guilty of a binge session!

 The report also highlights the broader cost implications to the world economy. If there is no change to the current level of physical inactivity, there is an estimated annual cost of circa US $27B over the coming decade. 

Whilst the report is a call to arms for governments and countries to advocate, review policy and respond to the ongoing impact of COVID-19, it acts as a friendly reminder to think about how we can prioritize our health and wellbeing through regular movement. 

Remember, any movement or activity is better than none and it is never too late to start – as they say, the best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago, the second best time is now! We can not avoid some of the sedentary activities in life, work and of course rest and relaxation time, it is important to include some physical activity in your routine and the best way to be consistent is do something you enjoy.