There is never a good substitute for movement, but keeping active can be challenging. For many people, going out for a run or taking time to perform a full workout can be daunting, especially if this is not a part of their usual routine. Here are some ideas to get you away from your desk, your couch, or anywhere that keeps you in a static posture for too long...
 
There are a few quick and easy ways to add some movement to your day, starting with something as simple as boiling the kettle or just getting a drink from the fridge or water cooler. It only takes 2-3 minutes, so challenge yourself to see if you can complete these three exercises before going back to sitting down. You can focus on one each day, or work through a different one each time. ​

1. Challenge your balance. 
 
Standing on one leg is something many of us assume we can do, yet rarely take the time to check. This is an essential skill that can deteriorate without being noticed until everyday activities, such as getting dressed, are impacted. Being able to stand on one leg is important for putting on shoes, trousers and reduced balance can be a risk factor for falls. 
 
Start by seeing if you can stand on one leg with your eyes open for the entire time a kettle is boiling, or time yourself with a stopwatch. Test both legs, making sure you are close to a bench that you can use to support yourself. To increase the difficulty, try balancing with your eyes closed, then progress to balancing on your tiptoes. If you can balance on your tiptoes, with your eyes closed, then you can ask your physio for more suggestions.
 
2. Heel Raises
 
Start by keeping your knees slightly bent and lift both heels off the ground at the same time. You can begin with repetitions of 5, have a quick rest then repeat. Challenge yourself to increase the speed of your heel raises and see how many you can fit into your 2 minute workout. As you bend your knees, aim to keep your knees over your second toe. If you feel this is a little too easy, you can progress to single-leg heel raises, which will also improve your balance!
 
You can start a daily competition with the people in your home or workplace to see who can complete the most repetitions in a set time period.
 
3. Squats
 
Squats are a great exercise to keep your large muscles working. You can start with 5 shallow squats, aiming to slowly increase your number and progressively squat to a lower position. As with heel raises, when you start to find squats to be less of a challenge, you can move to single-leg squats. 
 
Don’t hesitate to ask your physio or posture specilaist for tips on how else you can stay active at home or in the workplace. ​

WHO defines physical activity as any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure. Physical activity refers to all movement including during leisure time, for transport to get to and from places, or as part of a person’s work. Both moderate- and vigorous-intensity physical activity improve health.

​Popular ways to be active include walking, cycling, wheeling, sports, active recreation and play, and can be done at any level of skill and for enjoyment by everybody. 
Regular physical activity is proven to help prevent and manage noncommunicable diseases such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and several cancers. It also helps prevent hypertension, maintain healthy body weight and can improve mental health, quality of life and well-being. 

Adults aged 18–64 years recommendations:

• should do at least 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity; 
• or at least 75–150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity; or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity throughout the week
• should also do muscle-strengthening activities at moderate or greater intensity that involve all major muscle groups on 2 or more days a week, as these provide additional health benefits.
• may increase moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity to more than 300 minutes; or do more than 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity; or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity throughout the week for additional health benefits.
• should limit the amount of time spent being sedentary. Replacing sedentary time with physical activity of any intensity (including light intensity) provides health benefits, and
• to help reduce the detrimental effects of high levels of sedentary behaviour on health, all adults and older adults should aim to do more than the recommended levels of moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity.

6 Tips to Improve your Posture (from The American Migraine Foundation)

1.   Focus on your sitting posture

Whether you’re working from an office or your bedroom, good posture is important. It’s especially important for people with migraine because research shows they tend to have more neck dysfunction than the general population.

For better sitting posture, sit with your head and neck upright in a neutral position. Rest your feet flat on the floor (or supported by a foot rest) and avoid sitting on your feet or crossing your legs. Keep your arms and elbows close to your body, use an arm rest for support if available and keep your wrists in a neutral position. Sit with your buttocks fully back in your chair and with your back supported. Try placing a small rolled towel behind your lower back to decrease the space between the chair and your back.

2.   Try a recovery pose

One way to reduce tension and physical stress when you feel a headache coming on is to try a recovery pose. To do a recovery pose, lie on your back with your knees bent and gently clasp your hands together behind your head and neck. Allow your elbows to relax toward the floor until there is a slight, comfortable stretching sensation. Focus on your breathing and relax; this should not feel painful. Hold for 1-2 minutes (as long as it is comfortable), lifting elbows for a break as needed. Repeat. This should not be irritating or heighten your headache. Stop if that occurs.

3.   Have a dedicated work space

Virtual learning or working from home allows you to create a personalised workstation to suit your needs. Rather than tuning into virtual meetings from the comfort of your bed or couch, consider a more traditional set up with a table or desk and a chair. Position your laptop or monitor at or slightly below eye level. When using books or smaller electronic devices, try to bring the book or device to eye level. Consider using support devices like cases or stands when possible. Make sure your frequently used items are within easy reach. Incorporating these clinical recommendations into your work space can have a positive effect on headaches by improving posture and reducing neck pain.

4.   Take short breaks throughout the day

Schedule timed breaks throughout the day. During these breaks, you can work on stretching exercises to help with proper posture, go for a short walk around your neighborhood, or take a full lunch hour to be away from your desk. Even just standing up for a bit can help. Not only will regular breaks help your neck and spine, they’ll help you return to your school or workday feeling refreshed and energised.

5.   Increase activity to make up for more time sitting

Exercise can promote improved posture by strengthening your muscles and reducing tension. Being active can also relieve stress and improve sleep. Whenever starting new exercises, start slow, gradually incorporating new and increasing your exercises. Meditation, yoga and aerobic exercise are excellent options. Adding these to your regular routine can help manage your migraine disease. There are multiple benefits of physical activity for migraine management.
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6.   Get a good night’s sleep

Posture practice to deal with migraine isn’t limited to the work or school day. Set yourself up for a day of success by focusing on your sleep. Consider sleeping on your side and avoid sleeping on your stomach, as it puts added pressure on the spine. Use pillows to support your head and neck for added comfort. Ultimately, your sleeping posture should support a neutral spine position including the head, neck, upper, and low back. ​

As stated in the American CEO magazine, we all know that a sedentary lifestyle yields medical challenges like weight gain, heart disease and kidney failure. Did you know, though, how you sit can also jeopardize work performance? Poor posture affects productivity, by learning how to sit properly, you can boost brain function and accomplish more during the day.

​Body Language Affects Mood

The way you sit can make you happy, sad or depressed. It sounds strange, but researchers at Ohio State University found that nodding or shaking your head affects your attitude, even if it’s unintentional.

Erik Peper, a Dutch behavioral scientist also researched this topic. He found two key facts about posture that will help you on the job, today:

1. Sitting straight increases the likelihood that you'll think positively. The next time you struggle with a negative attitude or workplace drama, sit straight. Your mood and mindset will change, allowing you to focus on work and get more done.

2. Skipping during regular breaks increases energy levels, but walking while slouching or slumping drains your energy. During your next break, stand up straight and skip down the hall to the copy room, bathroom or lunchroom. Your co-workers might look at you funny, but you'll face all the projects on your desk with renewed energy.

Posture Affects Hormones

Difficult tasks, hostile clients or boring projects take the fun out of work. However, if any of these productivity killers affect you, use posture to your advantage. Simply stand up and extend your arms and legs. Stretching as tall and wide as possible expresses your power and tells your brain that you're ready to tackle anything.

Researchers at Columbia University and Harvard University concur that posture affects hormones. People who stand in powerful, expansive poses experience decreased cortisol and increased testosterone levels. This hormone combination increases leadership ability and disease resistance. A powerful pose can also help you take risks and land new clients, ask for a raise, or approach a problem resourcefully.

What does this all mean? When you need to do something you'd rather not do, like start a huge project, call a challenging client, or write a cumbersome report, stand tall or sit straight instead of hunching. Your expansive posture will assist you in doing the tasks that stand between you and success.

Get Moving!

To be more productive, get moving. Regular movement provides many benefits, physically and mentally. To stay moving when your job requires regular sitting, incorporate bursts of physical activity into your daily routine.

At least twice every hour, stand and walk. Move around your office, walk to the break room to refill your water bottle or walk down the hall and back. The break resets your posture and prevents you from sitting in one spot too long.
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Ready to be more productive at work? Keep your posture in check and enjoy the many benefits.

Posture impacts the aging process.

Those who stand erect and move smoothly can look much younger than their years, while those who are stooped and have an unsteady gait often look older than they are.  Looks may be superficial, but there's no doubt looking better helps our self esteem.

Poor posture leads to pain.

Poor posture often contributes to back pain, neck pain, and headaches to name a few unpleasant conditions.  Our bodies are structures that must conform to the same physical laws as buildings or bridges and work against gravity on a daily basis.  Like any other structure there is an ideal alignment of the parts that reduces the stress on your joints, muscles, ligaments and tendons.  Unlike buildings or bridges, our bodies can adapt and compensate for poor alignment (posture),  but there is a price to pay for that.  The price is not only pain, but also the slow deterioration of the entire musculoskeletal framework.

Many call this “getting old”.  However, if we return to that shopping centre or busy public space, we can see that that is not the case.  One 60 year old, for example, may be mistaken for 45, where another may be mistaken for 75.  The calendar can be an unreliable way to determine a person’s age and appearance!

Posture exercises help you age well.

Posture exercises will strengthen key muscle groups that have weakened with injury or inactivity, as well as stretching those muscles which have become overly tight.  This helps maintain strong posture and smooth movement.  It also ensures full, deep breathing, better circulation, and proper nerve function.  So really, posture exercises are a crucial aid to a long, active, healthy life.

We live in a sedentary society. We sit in slouched positions for hours and hours, day after day, year after year. Going to the gym and working out for 30 minutes is beneficial and should be a lifestyle habit, but it’s not enough to reverse sedentary behaviors.

If you really want to be more healthy this year and make your fitness a priority, then you need to think about how you can increase your fitness beyond the gym, your walk or your run. Being more active during your workday will help you achieve your fitness goals. Did you know that the difference between obese and non-obese workers is that non-obese workers stand up for 2 hours more per day? That’s it. That is the difference between obese and non-obese workers. Standing up helps you slim down.
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Keep going to the gym, but in addition to that, think of ways that you can have a more active lifestyle. Here are 4 strategies to turn your “Get Fit Resolution” into a lifestyle habit.

1. Focus on Your Posture– Good form is everything. When you have poor posture it can affect your balance, energy levels, and stress to the body. It is important to maintain good form while exercising, and proper posture throughout your workday.
2. Prevent Flexion and Focus on Extension – Gravity is an ever present force pulling down on your body. That is why it is difficult to sit in good posture for prolonged periods of time, because gravity pulls you down into flexion (slouching). Make sure you include extension exercises for your core at home or the gym, this will help you have better posture.
3. Be an Active Sitter – While seated, increase the amount of activity you do by being active while seated. The more movement you do throughout the day the better. Examples of active sitting are sitting on a Posture Cushion or exercise ball, moving your arms and legs in your chair, and getting up to move regularly.
4. Stand Up at Work – Having a Sit-Stand capable workspace is ideal. Standing up more often helps you prevent adverse health effects associated with prolonged sitting such as back pain, obesity, and chronic diseases. Perform the occupational tasks that you can while standing up, then sit down to take breaks. Sitting and standing throughout your workday is ideal.

​These tips will help keep your body healthy and move towards your fitness goals in the New Year. Celebrate the small wins along the way and remember, for best fitness results, do regular workouts AND be more active throughout your workday.