Why 5-minute Movement Breaks are The Secret to Staying Fit at Work
Whether Excel, emails, or Microsoft Word, you can’t stay glued to your device all day. Here’s why 5-minute movement breaks are the secret to staying fit at work.
It prevents burnout
The human mind needs to rest and recuperate in between the affairs of the day. Otherwise, we risk compromising our sanity. Literally.
Staring at screens for long periods on end overworks the pre-frontal cortex. The zone responsible for decision-making and logic. When you take that walk, you not only exercise your body but set’s off the mind’s reset button.
It kick starts metabolic activity
When we sit down, the body knows we are in rest mode. Certain processes such as lipolysis and blood circulation go cold.
Keeping the body active despite long periods of inactivity sets off these natural processes that maintain the human body. It essentially burns your body’s fuel.
It fixes posture
The weight of one’s head on average is five kilograms. If that pressure remains constant, it creates a strain on the neck, back, and spinal cord.
Getting up to take a walk not only reduces that strain, but it also stretches the upper body. This prevents cramping and evens out the tension from your upper body and lower body, i.e., the hip flexors and lower back.
It’s NEAT
Exercise isn’t about magic weight loss or instant muscle growth. It is about small, consistent effort.
Non Exercise Activity Thermogenesis is responsible for the calories we burn through simple activities that range from stretching to simple walks.
It is relfective
Taking five minute breaks not only gives us time to recharge, but it gives us time to check in with ourselves and listen to the distant voices within our consciousness.
As we walk, we can reflect, brainstorm, or simply meditate on our life.
It is so easy to get caught up in our obligations. Changes to our health seem like big events that require strategic planning; but truthfully, all it takes to get started is one step.
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