Can 5 Minutes Make a Difference?

With all the hours we spend hovering over our phones or computer keyboards and laptops, are we destined to become the shape of cooked shrimp?
In the massage room, I see more and more people with tight shoulders rolled forward and arms that can’t lay straight on the table.  Biceps are shortened, chest muscles tight and back muscles overstretched, abdominals, weak and tight, neck muscles tugged in the wrong direction.  This isn’t how we want to evolve, is it?
I’m finding the book, “Body Electric”, by Manoush Zomorodi, to be so interesting on how our health is paying the price in the Digital Age.  She is an award-winning host of NPR’s TED Radio Hour.  She collaborated on this project with Columbia University Irving Medical Center.  This was one of the largest public health study of its kind.
In October 2023, NPR listeners were challenged with taking movement breaks throughout their workday.  In total, there were over 20,000 participants from across all occupations, ages and from all over the world.  85% were women.
It was found that walking five minutes every 30 minutes was enough to make an impact on the following:

• On days participants did move breaks, their moods were more positive with fewer negative ones.
• Fatigue dropped. 21-28% felt less tired on average.
• Pulled people off their screens and engaged them with real life.
• Their bodies felt different better, quickly. Less muscle pain, less restlessness in legs and feelings of antsyness.
• Some lost weight without trying.
• Work performance improved.  Many reported feelings of refreshed, energized, focused, after movement.
• Felt good about doing something good for themselves.
• 82% of participants enjoyed the experience.

The more breaks people took, the better they felt.  Even those that moved every hour or every two hours felt better.  Their fatigue improved by 21 percent.
I recommend the book.  To learn more, you can read a report about the study or listen to an interview of Zomorodi at this link:
https://www.npr.org/2023/12/22/1213518650/changing-our-sedentary-screen-filled-habits
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