•  Introduction

 Are you spending too many hours sitting on a sofa watching TV or stuck at your office desk? Sitting for too long daily will make your muscles numb and sore. You will feel a strange pain after sitting for a long time. Adopting a sedentary lifestyle can bring consequences to your body. Though you must move your body throughout the day, it's only sometimes possible if your job is to sit in front of a laptop or attend prolonged meetings. Then, the best solution for you is to perform a stretching workout at the end of an inactive day to prevent yourself from body aches and muscle pains. 

Research has proved that 75% of people who sit for too long are at high risk of pain and injuries, contributing to overall poor health. Stretching your body regularly keeps you away from chronic diseases. It calms your mind, improves your posture, and relaxes your muscles, preventing injuries.

In this article, we’ll discuss the importance of stretching for sedentary people and suggest the best stretching exercises for your body. 

 

• How Sitting All Day Affects Your Body

 The human body is made to move. When you sit all day, your muscles become stiff and can be a risk factor for prior death. It has also been found that sitting for almost eight hours a day without any physical activity increases the chances of chronic diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, and even cancer. In addition to that, it can also cause pain in your shoulder, back, hip, and neck. 

 

• Why Stretching Is Good For You?

 There is a misconception that people only stretch their bodies when it hurts. However, when you stretch effectively and regularly, you will see that every movement you make becomes unchallenging. Studies have analyzed numerous benefits of stretching. 

• Stretching improves your posture. 
• Strengthen your muscles and make them flexible 
• It helps in reducing stress and boosting your mind.
• Stretching reduces the chances of pain and injuries.

So grab your office chair or yoga mat and stretch your stress away.

 

 

• Best Stretches for People Who Sit for Too Long 

 

4.1. Chest and Shoulder Stretch

Chest and shoulder stretches are among the best after a long day sitting on a chair. It helps to straighten your shoulder and back muscles. 

How to do it:

• Just take your arms behind your back and interlock your fingers. 
• Now lift your arms and hold it for 30 seconds until you feel a stretch on your chest. 
• Repeat 3-5 times.

 

4.2. Neck Stretch

Most people tilt their heads forward while working on computers. This can cause neck tension and contribute to headaches. 

How to do it:

• Start by sitting straight on a chair.
• Hold the chair with your hands, tilt your head to your right until you feel a stretch, and then tilt your head to your left arm. 
• Hold this position on both sides for 15-30 seconds and relax. 

 

4.3. Wrist Flexors

If you are sitting and typing all day, simple fingers up and down are the best arm stretch for you. 

How to do it:

• Stretch your left arm before you, keeping your hands and back straight. 
• Slowly move your fingers up and down, feeling a gentle stretch.
• Perform the same on your right arm. Hold it for a few seconds.
• Repeat this for 5-10 times. 

 

4.4. Spine Twist

Sitting in a slumped position for a prolonged time creates a lot of stress on your spinal cord. Twisting your spine will help you release stress and improve your body posture. 

How to do it:

• Sit straight on a chair, twist your upper body on the right, keep your right hand on the seat back and your left hand on your right knee, and twist as much as you can.
• Hold this position for 15-30 seconds.
• Repeat the same on the other side.

 

4.5. Back Stretch

While sitting in an arched position for too long on a driver's seat or an office desk it increases lower back pain. This back stretch will help release the tension in the back muscle and ease pain. 

How to do it:

• Sit straight on your chair.
• Put your palms behind your neck.
• Lean back over your backseat, with your elbows open wide, and stay in that position till you feel a stretch. 

4.6  Hip Stretch

When sitting for a long time, your lower body muscles become tight and stiff. A simple move you can do while working relaxes your hips and glutes muscles without moving from your chair. 

How to do it:

• Sit straight on your chair and gently cross your right ankle on your left knee. 
• Reaching out your torso, lean forward till you feel a stretch on your hip. 
• Hold it for 10-20 seconds. 
• Follow the same on the other side. 

 

4.7 Hamstring Stretch

When your body isn’t motioning your hamstring muscles stiffen. By performing an easy stretch, hamstring muscles can be loosened.

How to do it:

• Sit on a chair with your back straight and tall.
• Place your feet flat on the floor.
• Stretch your right leg, straighten it, and point your toes upwards.
• Bend forward, holding your knees with your hands. 
• Hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds.
• Repeat the same process on the other leg. 

 

 

• Conclusion

 In summary, life for many people has become sedentary nowadays. We have to spend most of the day sitting in front of our laptops at home or in the office. By sitting all day, we risk our lives. Due to the harmful effects of sitting on our health and body posture, sitting has become a new smoking for us. The only remedy to relax our body muscles after a busy day is stretching. Stretching helps in keeping the muscles strong, healthy, and flexible. Performing simple exercises, even sitting at your desk, helps a lot to relieve muscle tension and refresh your mind, making you feel more productive throughout the day. But remember that before you jump into stretching, make sure you do it correctly and safely. Proper technique is vital as much as you can stretch anytime, anywhere. Stretching incorrectly is harmful to your body. If you have suffered from any injury in the past or have strained muscle, consult your doctor or physical therapist before following any of the stretches.