As office workers/PC users, we all find ourselves sitting in one spot for hours during our working day? And we now know that it might cause us some pretty scary issues down the line if we don’t take action now.

There is a lot to suggest that as a whole, people are too sedentary: Tending to spend much time seated, and somewhat inactive.

There is increasing proof that sitting down too much can be a risk to your health, and to reduce your risk of ill health from constant inactivity, the NHS advises people to exercise regularly, whether it’s 100 to 150 minutes a week, as well as reducing your sitting time.

According to the National Health Service, studies have even linked being inactive with being overweight and obese, with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases running as top contenders caused by reduced activity.

Now, being in an office or working from home can feel as though you have to be tethered to your desk in order to get your work done, and many adults in the UK spend around 9 hours a day sitting because of this, as well as hobbies- such as watching TV, using a computer, reading, travelling by car, bus or train and so on.

Professor Stuart Biddle, Professor of Physical Activity and Health, explained: “We sit too much, and research suggests that this is not very good for you. The poor health effects from too much sitting are separate from whether you are physically active or not. They are separate behaviours in the same way that smoking is different from diet.”

If you’re worried about the consequences of sitting down for too long, there are some things you can incorporate into your daily routine, and it doesn’t take time from your work either.

Here are some handy tips to take with you tomorrow as soon as you log off from work so that you’re undoing all of that inactivity and potential harm:  

Practice breathing exercises to wind down from a long day.

Doing deep abdominal breathing can help our bodies relax and lower blood pressure.

Do neck rolls to release tension in the area.

Working in front of a computer all day might cause you to have a ‘tech neck’, and that’s not a good thing. Nobody wants a hunched neck, and that’s a great preventative measure.

Here’s how:

Start by sitting down with your hands in your lap before turning your head to one side.  Then, move your neck in a circular motion (backwards) before moving your head to the opposite side and rolling it forward.

Spinal twists to strengthen your back muscles.

If you’re suffering from back pain due to your sitting, this is a great relief to do at your desk.

Begin by sitting on your side with your feet flat on the floor and roll your shoulders back to lower them. Then, twist your spine to one side until your hand touches the back of the chair- hold for 5 seconds and then return to facing forward.

Repeat, making sure to alternate on each side to really stretch your spine fully.

Try your hand at the cat/cow pose for better posture.

Sit straight with your feet flat on the floor and place your arms on your knees.

When you inhale, arch your back and look up at the ceiling before exhaling and rounding your spine, lowering your head toward your chest.

Repeat 5 times.

There are so many other poses you could try, but these are my absolute favourites to do at the office or at home. Do you want to know what other tips Orange Malone has in store? Read our blog.