I have been thinking about the sedentary issue for a long time. What makes sitting hazardous for our health is not sitting itself, but rather prolonged uninterrupted periods of sitting. Being stuck in one position leads to structural issues such as muscle and bone atrophy, disc herniation, varicose veins, numbness in the feet and calves, and a slowed metabolism. Prolonged sitting also impacts our mental health by creating a sense of fatigue, lowered mood and low energy. Without stimulating the body with healthy movement, the body doesn’t function in the way it was meant to.
One of the moments in our day where movement is most important is after 7-8 hours of sleep when our bodies have been peacefully sedentary. Uninterrupted sleep is extremely important for health -unlike prolonged sitting the body needs sleep. Animals naturally stretch and move around as you’ve likely witness your cat and dog doing a stretch like this:
What I’d like to share with you is a series of movements you can do to help wake up the body first thing in the morning. This is called the Morning Wakeup Routine (MWR) from the ThinkMOVE program. The great news is It only takes 3-4 minutes.
The benefits of doing this routine:
Shake off the stiffness and soreness of being in one position all night
Ignite your metabolism and blood flow with movement
Energize your mind and prepare for the day using movement
Oxygenate the entire body with breathing and movement
Prepare the body for a busy day and help prevent injury
Here is a video and the exercises that make up the Morning Wakeup Routine:
https://youtu.be/Qw1QtuoAbKQ
STANDING TWIST
MOUNTAIN BENDS
LEG SWINGS
SUMO KNEES
I hope you enjoy the series. Taking a few minutes every morning to do these 4 movements.
Let me know in the comments below how this was for you.