Desk exercises - take care of your health and comfort at work

For many people, working at a desk is synonymous with comfort. However, in reality, it can lead to many problems, both in terms of health and well-being. Prolonged periods of sitting in one position can be just as detrimental to the body as strenuous physical labor. However, even short breaks during work and changing positions can bring wonderful results.

Regular desk exercises, and even taking short breaks (although that requires briefly stepping away from the desk, taking a walk, stretching...) can help avoid spinal disorders, neck pain, circulation problems, and even eye strain. Doctors and physiotherapists encourage performing a series of short exercises every 45-60 minutes. You can do exercises at your desk and take a few minutes away from it every two hours. Besides the positive impact on health, a short break from work allows you to clear your mind an refocus. That's why working at an adjustable-height desk is a highly beneficial solution due to the advantages of changing positions while working.

A significant number of office workers wouldn't feel comfortable if others were observing their exercises. Therefore, many desk exercises are quite discreet, and by doing them, you won't attract attention.

However, some exercises are worth doing in a group. Mutual motivation and scheduled group exercise sessions help maintain regularity. For this purpose, it's beneficial to make use of additional space in the office. Often, in office interior design projects, we incorporate such spaces – spacious kitchens, large conference rooms, or recreation and relaxation rooms. They are excellent places for short exercise sessions in the office! More and more companies not only allow but even encourage taking care of one's health and well-being. After all, they directly translate into the effectiveness of our work.

Although prolonged sitting during work takes a toll on our entire body, most discomfort is associated with the spine. It causes neck and back pain, as well as more serious consequences. One of the simplest exercises for the cervical spine is head movements. You can alternate between tilting and raising your head or rotating it left and right. Circular head movements are also good for relaxing the neck muscles.

Circular arm movements, swings, torso twists, and bends are also beneficial exercises. Repeat each of them several times to loosen your muscles and take care of your spine.

Wrist pain, and even a feeling of weak grip, is a common ailment. We suffer from it due to spending hours using the computer keyboard and mouse. In the past, similar complaints affected people who typed extensively on typewriters. We can take care of our wrists and hands by performing a simple exercise. The best one requires the use of a small ball, which we simply squeeze firmly for several seconds. Alternatively, we can alternately extend our fingers and make tight fists.

To relax the joints and take care of our hands, we also perform other exercises. Interlace your fingers and move your hands in different directions. You can also stretch your entire hand and individual fingers, although it should be done in moderation.

A very simple exercise to do at your desk is to take a few deep breaths. You should feel the air filling your entire chest, maintaining an upright posture and lifting your chin. Hold the breath for a few seconds and slowly exhale. Repeating this sequence several times will not only oxygenate your body but also clear your mind and reduce tension. You can raise your arms up with each inhalation and lower them down while exhaling.

We can also use our feet for a few office exercises. These are the most discreet exercises to do at your desk. Simply raise your toes multiple times and then pull them toward the arch of your foot. This exercise has a positive effect on improving circulation throughout the body.

In this article, we have described very basic exercises that everyone can do at their desk. It is worth deepening your knowledge in this area and trying new approaches that may be more beneficial for you. However, if you experience any pain or discomfort (such as in the neck, back, or wrists), do not wait. Contact a doctor or visit a physiotherapist. Appropriate treatments, dietary supplements, and individually tailored exercises will help resolve the problem.

What do height-adjustable desks have to do with health in the workplace? With the ability to set the desk at different heights, you can easily change your working position. There are two types of such furniture:

- desks with manual height adjustment;
- electrically adjustable desks.

The main difference between a manually operated desk and an electrically adjustable one lies in convenience. However, both options work perfectly when it comes to improving well-being at work and taking care of employee health.

Increasingly, desks with electric height adjustment are also finding their way into our home and apartment designs. It's no wonder since more and more people today work remotely from home. Therefore, we can also work there in optimal conditions!