Spring is in the air, and it's another beautiful day outside. In fact, it's perfect for a long lunch in the park, but you're stuck behind your desk again, with another meeting scheduled in ten minutes.
Or you're sitting in yeshivah, bent over your Gemara without the chance to get up and stretch.
 After spending time at a shiur or studying with a chavrusa, stand up and move around. |
You are not alone. Busy people commonly have difficulty slipping away from their obligations long enough to participate in an organized exercise routine. Some folks are able to include a gym workout in their day. However, for the majority of busy people, that is a time-consuming and inconvenient solution. Yet it is precisely the people who put in a long, sedentary day while utilizing enormous mental reserve who most need to exercise.
Sitting for eight or more hours per day can have a stifling effect on mental alertness, because a lack of physical exercise cuts down on the availability of oxygen to the brain. The brain requires twelve times more oxygen than any other organ for proper functioning. A decrease in oxygen supply can mean a reduction in your ability to reason, think, and remember, all of which are essential elements of sound judgment, whether you are studying Gemara or contemplating a mega-merger.
Exercise works in several ways to increase the oxygen supply to all parts of the body, including the brain. It steps up the blood flow, increases the number of functioning capillaries in the brain, and stimulates the production of hemoglobin (the red blood cells involved in oxygen transport).
Exercises that gently stretch the muscles help to stretch the connective tissues as well. This not only improves circulation, but also relieves tension and that "uptight" feeling.
So it's time to get fit! For starters, whether you're pondering paperwork at your desk or dozing off after several hours at a shiur or with a chavrusa, get up and move around. This may seem a rather simplified solution for overcoming fatigue, but it really helps. Invest just one minute of every forty-five in walking around your desk or around the bais midrash, taking five deep breaths. You'll be amazed at the improvement in your mental productivity.
Then, instead of taking a coffee break, take an exercise break, preferably before lunch or dinner. Close your office door and do the following simple routine we have devised. The exercises are designed to mobilize nearly every muscle in your body as you're learning or sitting at your office desk. Imagine what they will do for your appearance, let alone your attitude!
There is nothing to prepare. You don't have to change your clothes, and you don't need any type of elaborate equipment. It only takes a few minutes of your time, so you really can't afford not to give it a try. Get started by pushing your bench or chair one or two feet away from your desk.
(If your chair has armrests or a swivel seat, you may find some of the exercises difficult to perform properly. A straight-back, stationary chair without armrests is recommended.)
1. Shoulder Rolls
Let's begin by loosening the tension in our shoulders and back muscles. Keep your arms relaxed at your side. Draw your shoulders up as high as you can and then slowly move them back and around 5 to 10 times.
2. Knee Lifts
To loosen up those stiff knee and hip joints, grasp your knee at the kneecap with both hands. Lift your leg upward and then return it to the floor. Do this 3 to 5 times and then repeat with the other leg.
3. Neck Movements
Sitting in one position for a long period of time causes an accumulation of tension in the upper back and neck. This is a major cause of tension headaches. Slowly stretching your neck muscles will help to release that tension.The Nod — Sit straight and slowly bring your head down until your chin comfortably touches your chest. Raise your head and gently bring it as far back as possible. Repeat 3 to 5 times.
Tilt — Gently tilt your head toward your right shoulder. Straighten your head and tilt it toward your left shoulder. Repeat 3 to 5 times.
No-No — Slowly turn your head to the left and then to the right 3 to 5 times.
4. Side Bends
To stretch the muscles on your sides and in your back, sit straight with your hands on your hips. Gently bend to the right side and then to the left. Repeat 3 to 5 times on each side.
5. The Wiggle
This exercise involves the abdominal muscles and hip flexors. Performed regularly, it will help tone your stomach, hips, and upper legs. As an added bonus, it stimulates muscle action in the intestine, helping to alleviate constipation.Begin by sitting way back in your chair. Raise your right hip and move it forward. Then raise your left hip and move it forward in the same manner. Use your arms by swinging them back and forth to help maintain a forward momentum. Continue until you have reached the edge of your chair. Then reverse the movement and wiggle back into your seat. You should be able to go back and forth 3 to 5 times.
6. Cat Stretch
Another exercise to relax and stretch the muscles and connective tissues in your back resembles a vertical cat stretch. First let your head drop slowly to your chest; round your back, pressing gently against the chair. Raise your head slowly and arch your back. Repeat the entire exercise 3 to 5 times.
7. Reaching for the Stars
This is an excellent stretching exercise. Raise your arms over your head and stretch your right side up as if you are trying to grasp an object that is clearly out of reach. Then stretch your left side upward. Stretch 3 to 5 times on either side and let your arms fall down, relaxed. Shake them out limply. Now you are ready to pick up that pen again. Your ideas will flow more rapidly than the ink.
8. Extra Credit: The Forward Bend
Along with the above routine, we also suggest bending forward every so often to relieve accumulated stress in your back and to stimulate blood flow to your brain. From time to time, bend forward to loosen your shoelaces or kick off your loafers and put them on again.
For added exercise, get up and move whenever a situation calls for action. If you need to go to another department, use the stairs rather than the elevator. If you must discuss a problem with a colleague down the hall, walk over rather than intercoming. Let your legs — not your fingers — do the walking.
The benefits of exercise have been sufficiently demonstrated. All men and women, even the busiest among us, can and must find the time to keep themselves healthy.
Dr. Reuven Bruner is a health, fitness, nutrition, and total lifestyle consultant in private practice in Jerusalem. For more information, he can be reached at 972-2-566-2921, or by e-mail at dr_bruner@hotmail.com