If you are asked what activity you would like to be or do most of the time, you will likely say this in this order:

1. Lying down (including sleeping)

2. Sitting

3. Standing

4. Ralking

5.running

Of course, who wouldn’t want to have a longer sleep time or perhaps sit down especially if in their office they have a comfortable office chair. With very busy schedules every day, we hope to get as much rest as we can, and lying down and sitting down are perhaps the most relaxing positions a person can be in.

But as you go about your daily routine, you will find yourself sitting most of the time, and yet it doesn’t seem to be that relaxing. The fact that this position, especially if you don’t have office chairs for better posture, is still work time. During those times, your body is not really resting, just sedentary. And when you are sedentary, your body weakens, and with a chair that doesn’t support your posture, your back and other unused muscles that support your back and posture weaken.

So what can you do to combat the effects of a sedentary lifestyle?

Here are some tips:

1. Take micro cuts. You don’t need to stray far from your desk. It’s as simple as getting out of your chair and doing several upward stretches every two hours or so, just to stretch out those unused muscles.

2. Exercise. Regular exercise can combat the effects of a sedentary life. Don’t have time to exercise or go to the gym? How about buying a Pilates exercise chair? It is small enough to store at home to help you perform your strengthening and stretching exercises correctly. The important thing is that you dedicate part of your non-work time to exercising.

3. Execute. In the latest study by the Institute of Physical Activity and Nutrition (IPAN) at Deakin University, running can strengthen the spine, making it one of the best exercises for preventing and managing back pain. If you’re not used to running yet, the study also said that walking can also have the same beneficial effect as running on the spinal discs.

(Note: If you are going to do any strenuous activity, be sure to seek the guidance of a medical professional to avoid injury)

It is very easy to fall and accept a sedentary lifestyle; simply because we feel like we don’t get enough rest. But not allowing yourself to participate in a more active lifestyle can do more harm than good.

And if you find yourself working long hours sitting down, you need to get all the help you can get to prevent your body from slipping into the wrong posture and back pain. Look for an office chair company that sells a chair that is designed to provide adequate mid-back and pelvic support and maintain natural spinal alignment.