Why is it that we sit for most activities? When we eat, go to the movies, visit our favorite restaurant, wait for our turn to see the doctor…at the dinner table, at the coffee shop…What about those of us who have jobs that require the use of a computer for long periods of time? It is when we are focused on the task at hand (and perhaps on deadline for the work we’re doing) that we most need to get up and stretch and move around. And, yet, many of us don’t do it…because we are focused and want to do a good job.
According to the website of Exploding Topics (explodingtopics.com, based in San Francisco, reports on trends for business) “Globally, people average 6 hours and 58 minutes of screen time per day…and the average American spends 7 hours and 4 minutes looking at a screen each day.”
Just out of curiosity: How many hours do you spend at one time focused on the screen in front of you? And here’s why I’m asking: When we sit for hours at a time working on a computer, our body is experiencing accumulated stress and anxiety.
This physical inaction can negatively affect work performance. According to a report put out by the National Institutes of Health (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7955618/), “Prolonged (excessive) sitting is detrimentally associated with cardiovascular, metabolic and mental health. Moreover, prolonged sitting has been associated with poor executive function, memory, attention and visuospatial skills…”
Sitting for long hours takes a toll on your back, and, over time, it can cause lower back tension. Plus, if you commute for work, there will be added stress. Anyone who uses a computer for long stretches might not even be aware that, in their deep focus, they could be holding their breath, and / or their posture might be taking on the “computer hunch
Say you’re a stock trader living in San Francisco. The market opens at 6 a.m. Pacific Time. When the market opens, cup of coffee in hand, you start to follow it. If things are not going the way you want, you may tense up, begin to perspire. Your blood pressure might rise. You may also be holding your breath and possibly even be “frozen in place” – on high alert.
The two parts of your nervous system (the parasympathetic, which works when you are at rest, and the sympathetic, which kicks in when you are under stress) should work hand in glove. But, according to the Cleveland Clinic’s website, “Your sympathetic nervous system takes the lead when your safety and survival are at risk…that system’s actions can strain body systems when it’s active for too long.” An overactive sympathetic system layered on top of long periods of inaction is a recipe for serious negative effects to your mind and body.
Notice that the word “sympathetic” has the same root as “sympathy”, so have some sympathy for yourself and make choices that take care of you. And remember that you are not alone.
At Nature’s Whisper Healing Arts, we don’t pretend to control the market or know how to noodle through a troubling piece of computer code, but we do offer services that can aid in restoring balance to your sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system. Our massage therapy can also help mitigate mental and physical stress and bring you to a state of relaxation and calm.
Touch therapy is a self-care tool that, especially when regularly scheduled, can support your personal and professional performance. And don’t we all want that for ourselves?