Do you work at home while your kids are off at school? Perhaps you have an online business that has you inside your makeshift home office, pouring over inventory. It used to be that your feet and legs felt like they would fall off at the end of the day. But now you can add a stiff neck and sore shoulders to that list. Have you heard of text neck? It's a widespread ailment resulting from hunching over one's laptop or phone, or anything that requires you to bend your neck for work.
Leaving sore spots unattended can lead to further pain complications and generally suck the joy out of your day. Thankfully, we have some relaxing ways to keep you limber without breaking the bank or pulling a ligament. Get ready to be inspired
Whole-body stretches.
When your body is feeling cramped, there's nothing like stretching to give you an instant mind and body lift. According to Mayo Clinic, stretching helps to increase your range of motion and also decrease risk of injury. So if you are coming off a couple hours of work at a desk, do some simple stretches to get rid of stiffness in your joints.
Massage
The many benefits of massage are being further unlocked each day. So there are many reasons to choose from that are good enough to warrant a trip to the massage parlor. But massage is key to getting over that neck and shoulder stress and strain that is common to desk workers. Concerned about a high massage therapist bill? These days, clinical-grade portable massagers can provide the same relief as what you can find in a doctor's office. And for only a fraction of the price, too. If you haven't had massages before, try giving yourself a massage using your hands, and work up from there.
Take frequent breaks.
Working from home comes with its own peculiar set of challenges. You're likely your own boss, but that means you have to go the extra mile to keep on task and stay focused. But not to the neglect of taking frequent breaks. The human body wasn't made to sit still. It was made for motion and activity. In fact, being inactive is linked to a host of diseases and illnesses, not to mention you just don't feel right after too many hours spent at a desk. What do experts recommend? Take a break at the top of every hour for 2 to 5 minutes. Or make sure to get out of the house with your kids at every opportunity.
Drink more water
You probably tell this to your kids. But do you drink enough water yourself? Your spinal cord uses water to cushion each disk in your vertebrata. So if you have not been drinking enough water, chances are other parts of your body are feeling it too. Place a water bottle in easy reach of wherever you work. Drink water at every opportunity.
Capture those Zzzzs!
Sleep is the time your body repairs itself. All the little stresses that your body accumulates during the course of the day-the body uses your downtime to take care of those. When you are short on sleep, your body has less time to work on body repair. And of course, as all parents know, being sleep deprived is just no fun at all. Your mind feels it. Your emotions feel it. And yes, your body feels sleep deprivation as well. Maybe you don't need as many hours as your children, but you still need to make sure you're hitting a solid sleep quota every night. Aim for 7 hours, although some adults profess to needing 8.
Everyone will be in a better mood if Mommy has had enough sleep at night. And you'll be sharper at your desk the next day.
There you have it. Some simple ways to get rid of pain-drain and joint stiffness because no one should live that way.
Image: Pixabay
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