How effective is Yoga at work

Health is the most valuable asset for anyone who has a hectic work life With a team of healthy employees any company can grow to the heights and achieve success Many of the highly successful companies give focused attention on maintaining the health of their loyal employees and organise wellness retreats as reward programmes A welldesigned programme should not only focus on maintaining physical health but also should target mental and emotional health yoga breathing and meditation etc Dr Manoj Kutteri Wellness Director at Atmantan says Yoga programmes at work helps one to increases their productivity at work reduce health costs improve their vitality increase a feeling of selfesteem and diminish absenteeism at a workplaceThe most common forms of workrelated illnesses areSafetyrelated ndash due to being noncompliant on safety measuresPhysical ndash exposure to radiation high noise levels etcBiological ndash this can be caused by bacteria viruses insects animals or humanborneChemicals ndash usually due to exposure to toxic chemicals or allergensErgonomics ndash these are posture related which usually take a longer time to manifestPsychological ndash internal or external stress relatedIn recent times the prevailing laws and regulations have helped to manage the first 4 of the hazardous reasons to some extent However the last two postural and stressrelated incidents are still on the high This is where yoga works for maintaining health at workPhysical fatigue and body aches are a common occurrence these days Most of this can be attributed to lack of movement at a workplace Sitting is regarded today as the new smoking Long sitting beyond 6 hours increases the risk of death by up to 40 when compared to those who sit for less than 3 hours 45 mins of yoga practice every day can greatly reduce the harmful effects of long sittingPhysical HealthLow physical activity is a major health issue among people who work for long hours Regular practice of yoga can help to prevent metabolic diseases such as diabetes and obesity to manage stress effectively to maintain flexibility to promote mental relaxation and to improve cardiovascular fitness It also helps in postural corrections which plays a major role in maintaining physical health Workplace yoga is trending now in many big organizations Besides yoga a good positive eating will help boost health and wellbeingMental HealthMental health includes emotional psychological and social wellbeing Mental health is important in managing the day to day stresses we go through at work A positive mental health helps us to know our full potential and to work productively to make meaningful contributions A deranged mental health can give them anxiety and depressionrelated symptoms Mental health can be promoted byDeveloping the positive aspects of work and your strengthu00e2u0080u00a8Introducing mental practices such as yoga and meditation techniquesSome of the most common workrelated injuries areWrist Hand pain ndash repetitive strain injury is very common at work especially those who use the computers for long hoursLow backache ndash depending on the nature of work there can be a huge demand for a stronger back When they are not strong one can go into persistent pain on the lower backKnee aches ndash Knees and hip are prone to inflammatory pains due to long hours of sitting Also it weakens the gluteal muscles Hips and knees are also more susceptible for injury due to the weight gain among the sedentary working classEye pain inflammation ndash those who look at the screens for extended hours can suffer from dryness of the eyes due to blockage of oilsecreting glandsStomach pain ndash most of the sedentary jobs causes weak digestion due to minimal physical activity This in turn results into indigestion hyperacidity bloating and constipationHeadache ndash neck stiffness is one of the main cause of most of the work related headaches Besides this headache can also be induced by poor stress managementPreventive yoga to manage physical injuriesLoosening exercises ndash one of the most important practice to prevent body ache is to practice loosening exercises for joints This can start from the toes and progressively move upwards by practicing all possible movements on each joints flexion extension circumflexion etic wherever possibleCat cow stretch ndash this incorporation of cat pose and cow pose synchronized with breathing helps in caring the entire back and also it gives the body a good destressing stretchTree pose with toe stand ndashit is huge hip and knee opening practice when performed jointly It helps to strengthen the abdomen and glutes and also creates strength to maintain good postureReclined spinal twist ndash there are different variations to the spinal twist and they are a great way to squeeze out the day to day stresses and body aches It stretches the spine chest shoulders and massages the vital organs tooProgressive muscle relaxation ndash it is a method of inducing deep muscle relaxation by tensing up the muscles and simultaneously relaxing them It is a great tool in inducing a deep relaxation of the entire body This method also helps in managing workrelated muscle tension that might be causing routine aches and painsMindfulness in the workplace is something of a growing trend The understanding that work efficiency is optimum when one is happy physically relaxed and mentally clear Yoga is the best way to bring that mindfulness and a workplace yoga class is a relatively simple addition that need not involve great expenseStress at workplace today is a major consideration in many organisations and an introduction of yoga at work can be a potential benefit to both employers and the employees Organisations show a higher productivity when they have a team of less stressful employees Yoga practices also teach one how to live in the present and to be mindful of their own surroundingsYoga improves cardiovascular fitness by lowering resting heart rate and improving oxygen uptake during exercise The breathing techniques in yoga known as Pranayama helps you slow down and deepen your breaths It is a great tool in promoting stress adaptation by activating the bodyrsquos parasympathetic systemProlonged sitting weaken the spine regular practice of yoga helps to maintain the natural curvature of the spine and prevent hunch backYoga also helps to deal with anxiety and depression create an inner peace weight management improved flexibility and balanced breathingYoga helps to increase the energy levels by improving the blood supply to the brainSun salutations are great yoga practices that improve the metabolism and prevent most of the musculoskeletal disorders It also helps to keep the body weight in checkRegular yoga practice helps you recognise your social domain and helps to build great connectivity with the teamCatch up on all the latest Crime National International and Hatke news here Also download the new midday Android and iOS 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