5 Ways To Relieve Stress Without Leaving Your Chair

Most people in India lead a life of physical inactivity, as many spend days seated at desks for 8-to-10-hour long shifts for corporate or desk jobs. This sedentary behaviour has often been a subject of several studies, revealing that a major portion of the population does not meet recommended physical activity levels. This behaviour is a major factor that leads to people developing various health issues in the long term. In the pursuit of being productive, people often overlook the importance of being active for their well-being. This makes the case for people to look at simple ways to relieve stress at their desk, as who doesn't want to be less stressed in their day-to-day lives? The answer lies in implementing certain simple ways that can help in destressing at work without having to leave the office chair.

5 Ways To Relieve Stress Without Leaving Your Chair

1. Deep Breathing Exercises

A simple way to centre the mind is to practise deep breathing exercises. For this, use the 4-4-4 breathing technique, which involves taking a brief pause for four seconds, then breathing in for four seconds, and exhaling for four seconds.

Count each interval mentally and make a habit of calming your nervous system with these pauses.

Studies show deep breathing calms the nervous system and reduces panic at work.

2. Give Chair Yoga A Try

Doing simple stretches while sitting in the office chair can help change the environment and recharge the brain and body. Simple stretches such as neck rolls and seated twists can be helpful for relieving tension and correcting posture in the workplace.

Prolonged sitting can take a toll on the back and shoulder muscles, and to remedy this, certain simple stretches can make a huge difference in feeling best while working. Such exercises are an effective way to reduce stress while sitting in an office chair.

Read More: The Sitting Epidemic: 7 Alarming Ways Prolonged Sitting Harms Your Body

3. Take Well-Planned Mindfulness Breaks

The simple act of being conscious while working can make a difference in the output and recharge the way people feel at work. Mindfulness actively involves focusing on slow breathing and making sure the nervous system is calm. Inner peace is the primary goal at the workplace, which will ensure productivity and a great feeling while working.

Another way to practise mindfulness while sitting in the office chair is to observe the surroundings without judgement. This is a simple tip for maintaining proper mental health at the workplace.

4. Music Can Be Healing

In order to prioritise mental stability at the workplace, people can listen to soothing music that will help calm the nervous system. This system needs to be in a calm state, as sudden panic attacks and even high levels of anxiety occur when people are rushed or under pressure at work.

As an effective remedy to this situation, listening to instrumental music or sounds from nature can instantly change the inner dialogue that sends people into a stressed mode.

While some level of controlled cortisol is needed for productivity, too much of it can cause a host of health issues. This is where calming music can be used to lower 'cortisol' levels. An excess of cortisol makes people vulnerable to health issues like metabolic issues, heart issues, stroke, neurological issues and even immune system disorders.

Humans are wired to exist in nature, and a complete detachment can only have side effects in daily functioning.

Read More: Stress And Sleep Disorders Are Impacting Your Health More Than You Know: Explainer

5. Visualisation

This technique can help create a peaceful state that can involve active imagination. To implement this technique, actively imagine sitting beside a peaceful beach or forest for 60 seconds. This simple exercise can help in reducing anxiety and stress. Studies indicate that people with workplace anxiety can experience a reduction in productivity, highlighting the practical application of visualisation for stress reduction in a professional context.

The human body functions at maximum capacity when a regulated amount of stress is put on it for productivity. Mental and physical health need to be balanced to keep health issues at bay. The main issue arises when the stress becomes chronic, and the sedentary lifestyle together increases the risk of various diseases. In order to combat chronic stress in the workplace, professionals need to include simple ways to manage stress effectively.

Disclaimer: This content, including advice, provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.

References:

McEwen, B. (2008). Central effects of stress hormones in health and disease: Understanding the protective and damaging effects of stress and stress mediators. European Journal of Pharmacology. 

Perciavalle, V., Blandini, M., Fecarotta, P., Buscemi, A., Corrado, D., Bertolo, L., Fichera, F., & Coco, M. (2017). The role of deep breathing on stress. Neurological Sciences. 

Anjana, R., Pradeepa, R., Das, A., Deepa, M., Bhansali, A., Joshi, S., Joshi, P., Dhandhania, V., Rao, P., Sudha, V., Subashini, R., Unnikrishnan, R., Madhu, S., Kaur, T., Mohan, V., & Shukla, D. (2014). Physical activity and inactivity patterns in India - results from the ICMR-INDIAB study (Phase-1) [ICMR-INDIAB-5]. The International Journal of Behavioural Nutrition and Physical Activity. 

Hopper, S., Murray, S., & Ferrara, L. (2019). Effectiveness of diaphragmatic breathing for reducing physiological and psychological stress in adults: a quantitative systematic review.