If you watch any type of news show, you have likely heard the encouraging words from experts: “move more.” It sounds so simple, doesn’t it? Except that moving more requires time, and most of us are already expending far more than we have. After a rush to get ready for work, you may sit for up to an hour – or more – in our lovely Los Angeles traffic. Depending on the length of your traffic delay, or the height of your heels, you may choose to take the elevator instead of the stairs to your office or classroom where you will, you guessed it, sit for several more hours before driving home and relaxing while you sit in front of the television. All that sitting may be wrecking your health. But what can you do about it when you have no extra time to spare? Let’s look at a few ways . . .
- Walk it out. Sure, you could park far from your building and walk into work, but with the heat wave that seems to be never-ending in our neck of the woods, this may be a rather unpleasant prospect. Instead, see how you can get up out of your seat throughout the day by delivering messages in person rather than email. The fact that this will put you face-to-face with colleagues more frequently may just improve your work life as a whole.
- Do it at your desk. It needn’t be strenuous, nor long, but movement is necessary throughout the day. If you have a bit of privacy, you could stand for a few minutes every hour, or even do a dozen or so squats or standing chair pose. The influx of blood flow to the lower extremities will feel great.
- Kill two birds. Movement and more water are two things that could go hand-in-hand throughout your work day. Set a timer every hour or so to move away from your desk and toward the water cooler to replenish. In fact, walk to a water cooler that is slightly farther from your desk to get the most out of your short break.
Moving is an excellent way to decrease the risk of developing varicose veins and spider veins. We hope these simple tips can help you get more out of your daily movement. For information on how to treat unhealthy veins, call our Sherman Oaks vein clinic at (818) 325-0400.