Deep vein thrombosis is not only caused by sitting for long hours in an airplane; it can be caused by sitting at your computer desk for long periods without moving. If you are a website designer, computer programmer or an SEO consultant for instance, you can get so caught up in what you are doing that you forget the time and even where you are. You can even forget to move for hours at a time.
Exercise is essential for a healthy body, but how can you get enough exercise when you have a sedentary job that requires you to sit for long periods of time? Here are some tips to help you get the kind of exercise you need to remain healthy and avoid problems such as deep vein thrombosis.
- Get up at least once every hour and stretch, then walk to the water cooler or around the office for a few minutes.
- While seated, move your feet and legs around to different positions.
- Balance your feet on your toes and bounce your heels up and down for five minutes. This is easiest if you place your toes under your chair.
- Lift one foot off the floor and swing it backwards and forwards several times, then change to the other foot.
- Have a footstool under the computer desk so you can sit with your feet raised up a little for some of the time.
- If you work in a high rise building, take the stairs to come and go instead of the elevator.
- Find some stairs to go up and down during your snack or meal breaks.
- Leave home 5 minutes earlier so you can walk around the car park before work.
- If you wear high heels to work, take a pair of joggers with you for safety when walking or jogging. You’ll enjoy it more too.
- Don’t have a desk lunch if it can be avoided. Even if you take your own sandwiches, walk outside to a nearby park, or at least to the lunchroom to eat them.
- Eat foods that reduce your ‘bad’ cholesterol so your veins are free of plaque build-up and your blood can flow freely through them.
- Get plenty of exercise over the weekend.
If you work from home, it is essential to have a good work/life balance, otherwise your body will not stay healthy – and neither will your relationships. It is very easy to stay glued to your computer all day long and not take the breaks that you need. And if you do this, it means you are not giving your loved ones the attention they need. Even exercising with a loved one is much more fun than doing it alone and it gives you a chance to nurture your relationships.