Why should you do stretching exercises at your desk? To prevent sitting disease!
Did you know that the average American spends about 55% of their waking hours every day sitting???
This adds up to almost 8 hours everyday sitting, and this finding is on the low end, with other studies that many people are sedentary (ie: not moving) for 12 or more hours everyday. WOWZERS!!
So what does this all this sitting mean for your health?
Remember how we talked about how Sitting is the New Smoking ie: how all that time parked in a chair is not only wreaking havoc on your derriere, but also your health? Well unfortunately, it’s true and it even has its own name: SITTING DISEASE! “The growing body of research on sitting disease has found a strong correlation between long periods of sitting and elevated risk of illness or injury.” YIKES!!!…..like what you might be asking yourself????
It turns out that sitting for so long everyday puts someone at a higher risk for:
- weight gain (especially around the midsection where it poses a higher health risk)
- high blood sugar
- high blood pressure
- high cholesterol (LDL)
- low levels of the good cholesterol (HDL)
All of these symptoms combine to make up what is called Metabolic Syndrome and put someone at a higher risk for Type 2 Diabetes, Heart Disease, Stroke and other health issues.
I know these facts are scary, but thankfully there is good news!! This same research is showing us that by taking regular movement breaks, to stand up more and sit less we can shift the odds in our favor and reduce the effects of chronic sitting. WHEW!
So what can we do? Stand up more often and do some stretching exercises!
Standing up and taking short breaks to move, stretch and breathe is an excellent way to:
- tone and strengthen your muscles, which boost your metabolism so you burn more calories
- keep your bones, joints and organs healthy
- deliver more oxygen and nutrients to your brain so you feel more energized and alert
- improve your circulation and improve your heart health and cholesterol levels
- boost awareness for greater concentration and productivity
- improves your posture so you have less tension and pain
- gives you a natural energy boost!
So set yourself a timer for 30 minutes and when it goes off STAND UP AND MOVE! If you have the set up to work standing you can do the next thirty minutes of work upright!
Want to learn how to do stretching exercises right at your desk with no extra equipment in a short amount of time? Join the FREE 5 Day DESK YOGA challenge starting Monday April 22nd!
Make sure that you Sign up by HERE:👇🏽
What drives me to do what I do? Learn more in this Podcast episode!
I am excited to share that I was recently featured as a Stand Out Expert on the Stand Out Be You Podcast! Take a listen to learn more about my journey as an entrepreneur and how I became interested in helping people integrate the tools of Yoga into their workday.
How to Relax When You Are Stressed With Megan Nolan | EP 059
Yoga is such a powerful way to help you move, stretch, breathe to boost your energy, lower your stress levels and increase your focus for more productivity. And Im excited to share these tools with you!
Are you here on Maui? Learn more about my different in person Workplace Wellness services HERE .
Want to learn how to take Yoga Breaks at your desk? Check out the Yoga at My Desk Online Course or join the Yoga at My Desk Tribe on FaceBook HERE.
A powerful question to ask yourself anytime, anywhere
Want a simple yet extremely powerful way to ground yourself and return your focus to the present moment?
Ask yourself this question:
And then pay attention:
Where do you feel your breath? What is the quality of it?
Often when we are feeling stressed out or paying attention to things around us our breath is short and shallow and mostly in the chest and shoulder area.
Not only does this increase tension in this area because these muscles are not meant to be our main breathing muscles, it also triggers more stress in our bodies because it is the fight or flight breathing pattern.
As soon as you shift your focus to your breath and begin to pay attention to it you will notice a shift within yourself. As you tune into the flow of your breath, the feeling of it and the quality of it you will feel yourself becoming more relaxed, grounded, and present.
Tuning into the subtle rhythm of the breath is the easiest way we have to bring our attention into our body and into the now.
Try this periodically throughout your day to take a moment to center yourself. Not only will it help you bring your stress levels down, but it will help you concentrate and focus.
Take it to the next level by taking a short breathing break.
- Sit tall, rolling your shoulders back and down to lift your chest.
- Relax your neck, shoulders and jaw as you close your eyes.
- Rest your hands on your legs.
- Begin to take slow deep breaths, filling your belly as you inhale
- As you exhale feel yourself sitting taller.
- Take at least 5 deep slow breaths
- Be aware of any mental distractions and stay focused on your breath as much as you can
- Enjoy!
Learn more about how breathing impacts our health and vitality at my upcoming free workshop: Deep Breaths for Less Stress on April 13th @10 am at the HMSA Center in Kahului. Learn more about this free workshop here.
Want to take a longer Yoga Break? Click here to try a 10 Minute session designed to ease your Neck and Shoulder tension that you can do right at your desk!
With the Yoga at My Desk Online Course you will learn how to take Yoga Breaks right at your desk, in work clothes, with no extra equipment. Learn how to release tension, activate and tone, boost energy naturally and lower your stress levels by integrate the powerful tools of Yoga into your workday! Each lesson is only 10 minutes long so you can easily incorporate them into your schedule, whenever it works best for you.
FREE Workshop: Deep Breaths for Less Stress on Saturday April 13th
- how we breathe
- how it effects your nervous system
- several breathing techniques that you can do anytime, anywhere to lower your stress levels
- how to use the breath to quiet and focus your mind
Show your love with Yoga and save 20% on the Yoga at My Desk course!
Are you looking for a unique way to show your love this Valentines Day to yourself or someone special? Yoga at My Desk is a great gift for you loved one so they can take care of their body, mind and spirit all day at work!
From now until February 15th save 20% on the Yoga at My Desk course which includes:
- 10-10 minute customized Yoga at My Desk video lessons
- 3 bonus videos
- planner to track progress
- 10 ways to take a 1 minute Yoga Break cheatsheet
- ongoing support and encouragement in our online community
Research is showing us that it is so important that we are getting up and moving more throughout the day. And what better way to do that with a short little Yoga Break? Yoga is such a great way to do this because it allows you to get so much out of a short amount of time!
Yoga is a powerful mind/body practice that helps us shift our focus inwards onto our breath to lower stress levels and help us feel calm, cool and collected. As we do this we are moving, stretching and strengthening our bodies to help increase flexibility, body and postural awareness, reduce tension, and activate core muscles.
All of this comes together to be an amazingly effective self care practice so that you and or you loved one can live, move and feel their best!
The best part about this course is that each of the lessons is only 10 minutes long and can be done right at your desk, in work clothes anytime it works for your schedule! This way you can take a Yoga Break anytime you need one to refresh your mind and energize your body to have more focus, clarity, inspiration and productivity for the rest of the day!
Did you see the latest Health and Wellness issue of Maui Time?
What an honor to be included in the recent Health and Wellness issue of Maui Time Weekly entitled: Four New Ways to Worship Your Body
The article highlighted myself and three other women who are taking a unique approach to Health and Wellness here on Maui. It was such an honor to be interviewed about my new Yoga at My Desk Course as well as my Yoga at Work sessions and workshops.
Here is a highlight from the article about my philosophy and approach to Yoga:
“In our day-to-day lives we are constantly engaging with the world around us: our work, our phone, our friends, and social media,” says Nolan. “However in yoga we use the breath to focus our mind and draw it inwards. In this way yoga teaches us how to pay attention to ourselves and to learn more about what makes us who we are as well as our unique habits and patterns. As we develop this self awareness on all levels: mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual, we become attuned to what we need to do to feel our best inside and out. I believe that this makes yoga a practice of self-care, self-acceptance, and ultimately self-love.”
Read the rest of the article HERE.
Would you like to put the tools of Yoga to work for your business? Contact me to book a complimentary Yoga at Work demo onsite for your team. These sessions can be done by all levels, in work clothes, with extra no equipment. This makes them easy to work into the work day to help your team, stretch, move and breathe for increased energy, focus and productivity.
Yoga at Work for Local Maui Businesses
If someone had told me that one day I would be teaching Yoga inside banks, power plants and offices all over Maui I’m not sure that I would have believed them ;), but amazingly enough its true! Since I created my Yoga at Work program and teamed up with the Blue Zones Project I am now teaching Yoga inside many different local Maui businesses and loving it!
It has been a fun and rewarding experience for me to share the powerful practice of Yoga with so many new people, many of whom have never tried it before. These Yoga at Work sessions area great way to share different Yoga stretches and techniques to help people reduce tension, improve their core strength and balance, plus keep their energy levels up so that they are feeling great and doing their best work. And since I tailor the sessions to the demands of each specific workplace each session is unique and customized to meet that team’s needs.
Some of the local businesses that I work with include: Maui Community College, Maui Electric (shown in the photo), Sae Design and Maui County Federal Credit Union. You can read about the team at Maui County Federal Credit Union’s experience with Yoga at Work in this post HERE .
I am so thrilled and grateful to help people integrate Yoga into their day, where we need it most and spend so much time: at work! Even just a few minutes here and there throughout the day is a powerful way to help keep our bodies in balance, stress levels down and energy up. When we take time to move more and down shift not only do we feel better but we help to boost our vitality and improve our longevity!
Would you like to put the tools of Yoga to work for your business? Contact me to book a complimentary onsite 20 minute Yoga at Work session for your team. These sessions are suitable for all levels and can be done in work clothes. Empower your team with tools to help them feel better and have more energy so they are set up for success!
Give the gift of Vitality this Holiday Season!
THIS YEAR GIVE THE GIFT THAT GIVES BACK!
SAVE 30% ON THE YOGA AT MY DESK VIDEO SERIES:
Do you or someone you love have a desk job? Then the Yoga at My Desk video series is a perfect gift!
Each 10 minute video gives you a chance to ease tension, strengthen sleepy muscles, sit taller and lower stress levels to leave you feeling refreshed and energized.
Each video has a unique focus so you can choose exactly what you need that day for your Yoga Break!
“I absolutely love Yoga at My Desk series because it allows me to take care of my body and mind right at my desk! Its super easy to use and Megan is enthusiastic and encouraging. I highly recommend this series for any office worker! ”
From Catherine V, Yoga at My Desk student
Click HERE to get Yoga at My Desk at this great price, make sure to use the code YOGA at checkout to save 30%!
SAVE 20% ON YOGA AT WORK PACKAGES:
Remember how much you loved recess as a kid? Yoga at Work sessions are like recess for adults!
Our bodies are designed to move regularly and thrive when we do! Yoga at Work sessions are a great chance for your team to chance to move, stretch, strengthen, breathe and laugh together.
This team building experience is also a powerful way to help them stay strong and healthy, reduce aches and pains, have more energy and feel less stressed.
Each session is customized to meet the needs and requests of your team and their demands of their specific jobs. Yoga at Work sessions are done right on site, in work clothes and by people of all levels and abilities. Choose from a package of twenty or thirty minute sessions.
Click here to read what the team at Maui County Federal Credit Union has to say about their weekly Yoga Workout Wednesday sessions!
SAVE 20% ON WORKPLACE WELLNESS WORKSHOPS:
Want to empower your team with tools to stay healthy, happy and strong at work?
My workplace wellness workshops are an interactive, fun and educational way to do that! Workshops can be 30, 45 or 60 minutes in length and can be done in work clothes.
Choose from:
- De-Stress at Your Desk: Learn key techniques and stretches to lower stress and tension levels through breathing and postural awareness to stay happy, healthy and energized. For more info click here
- Yoga at Your Desk: Learn stretches you can do right at your desk to promote good posture, lower tension and stress levels and give a boost of productivity and focus
- Breathe Deeply: Learn relaxation and breathing techniques to help you feel calm and focused, for more info click here
Yoga at Work on Maui with the Blue Zones Project
Have you heard of the Blue Zones Project? It was new to me too until a few years ago when I first learnt that Central Maui was about to become one. Doing some research I learnt that the Blue Zones Project is a global initiative with the goal to make it easier for people to make healthy choices at home and at work.
The project was developed by Dan Buettner, a National Geographic fellow, who has travelled around the world studying a variety of cultures and people. In these explorations he began to notice several common characteristics amongst the communities where people were living the longest. To Buettner, it seemed as though the elders in these Blue Zones (as he termed them) had tapped into key tools (the Power 9) that allowed them to thrive long into later life.
What he did next was the key!
If these powerful tools worked in these populations around the world, why not try to replicate them elsewhere to help others thrive too? Thus the “Blue Zones Project” and the “Power 9” were born with the mission of helping people integrate these tools into their everyday lives so they can boost their health and vitality now and for years to come.
In my humble opinion the Power 9 are incredible, not only in their simplicity but also their potency. They are well researched, validated and practical tools for boosting our vitality! And given how closely they align with my personal and professional goals I was SO EXCITED! Can’t we all benefit from: down shifting to lower stress levels, moving more, knowing our purpose, connecting to a higher power, eating more plants, bonding with others, eating til you are 80% full, having a glass of wine? YES!!
Learn more about the Power 9 HERE.
By implementing these into one’s daily life, Buettner’s research shows that we can help ourselves live longer, healthier lives!
So when I saw that this great project was coming to Maui, I immediately reached out to them to see how I could get involved. I am so glad I did, because as it turns out a significant part of the Blue Zones Project is helping Worksites implement the Power 9 for their team. This is when I really got excited because I am super passionate about helping people integrate Yoga into their workday!
It has been been amazing to partner with the Blue Zones Project and help many Worksites across Maui with my Yoga at Work sessions. Through our partnership I have been given the opportunity to share this transformative practice and all of it’s tools with so many new people, many of whom have never tried Yoga before, what a fantastic and rewarding experience. An article about our partnership was recently featured on the Blue Zones Project blog, which you can read HERE.
I am so deeply grateful to team up with this great Project and it’s amazing local team to help our Maui community make healthy choices at home and at work!
Would you like to help your team move more, down shift their stress levels, boost their energy and productivity? Try a Yoga at Work session! Contact me to book a free onsite Yoga at Work demo. Sessions can be done in work clothes and are great for all levels of fitness. Learn more about my Workplace Wellness services HERE
