While working from home has transformed how we perform our professional duties in a remote setting, the shift has also posed a challenge in remaining physically active.
Undoubtedly, sedentary lifestyles consisting of low levels of physical activity can adversely affect your health, well-being, and quality of life. Sitting for most of the day can discourage you from moving, leading to weight gain, fatigue, social anxiety, loneliness, and other prominent health concerns.
In this blog, you’ll learn the importance of exercise while working from home and discover how to get started on your journey.
Encourages Movement
There’s something about sitting for hours on end in front of a computer screen that is physically exhausting. You spend most of your day in a chair, and by the time the work day ends, you’re mentally defeated, fatigued, and in need of a nap to refresh yourself.
If you think about it, the only movement you’re performing throughout the day is walking around your home.
However, performing 20 minutes of physical activity during your lunch break gets your blood flowing and warms up your body, providing you with an energy jolt to help you conquer the post-lunch slump.
Sharpens Your Mind
Regular exercise helps you maintain cognitive and judgment skills. With eight hours of exerting your mental capacity in your remote work, your brain needs a boost to continue functioning throughout the day.
Physical activity releases proteins and hormones that help develop the brain’s structure and function. Exercise may also promote brain plasticity by encouraging new connection growth between cells in various cortical areas.
Improves Your Health
Those who sit less and perform any kind of moderate-to-vigorous activity can see significant improvements in their health. For instance, exercise can help you manage your weight, strengthen your bones and muscles, improve your flexibility, and reduce the risk of chronic disease.
Working out while working from home also prioritizes cardiovascular health by improving blood circulation, thus improving oxygen intake levels and decreasing heart pressure.
Promotes Better Sleep and Mental Health
Lastly, regular exercise and activity can reduce sleep onset, otherwise known as the amount of time it takes to fall asleep. Additionally, physical activity can alleviate sleepiness during the workday.
Exercising can improve your overall mood and mental health when coupled with better sleep. As you move, your brain will release endorphins or “happy hormones” to help relieve stress from work and make you feel more relaxed.
This can help combat work fatigue and reduce depression that can typically come about when experiencing social isolation when working from home.
While working remotely has its benefits, it doesn’t make it necessarily good for your body. As you find yourself working all the time, you can end up with less time for other activities, including physical exercise.
Once you learn the importance of exercise while working from home, you can take matters into your own hands and work to preserve healthy boundaries between your professional and personal life.
You can combat a sedentary lifestyle by incorporating a gym or designated exercise space into your home. With the help of Treadmill Planet, you’ll find home gym workout equipment ideal for your lifestyle and goals.