2656: Sitting Is The New Smoking AND 7 Ways to Rest by Kerry Ogden on Rejuvenation and Well-Being

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[00:01:24] So fill up with a healthy snack when hunger strikes. Visit wonderfulpistachios.com to learn more. That's wonderfulpistachios.com. This is Optimal Health Daily, episode 2656. Sitting is the new smoking and 7 ways to rest, both by Keri Ogden of keriogden.com. And I'm Dr. Neil Malek.

[00:01:48] Hey there and welcome back to Optimal Health Daily, where I simply read to you from the best health and fitness blogs for free. I cover fitness, nutrition, stress management, weight management and lots more, just like an audiobook, but from a bunch of different authors

[00:02:03] and always with permission from the sites and always with a bit of my commentary at the end. But I'm going to keep this intro nice and short. So let's get right to today's two posts as we optimize your life.

[00:02:18] Sitting is the new smoking by Keri Ogden of keriogden.com. Immobility is a silent killer and one of the most damaging lifestyle choices we can make. Being sedentary slows down circulation, causing the arteries to start collecting deposits. Our lymphatic system doesn't get flushed out

[00:02:37] and our cells become less sensitive to insulin. We get dull, inside and out. Lack of movement causes our muscles to atrophy, telling our cells to start dying off because they aren't needed. You get the picture. It seems innocent, but it's far from it.

[00:02:54] A sedentary lifestyle is as dangerous as a car crash or a major accident. That may seem like an exaggeration, but listen to some of the conditions linked to a sedentary lifestyle. Arthritis, autoimmune conditions, depression, early onset dementia, heart disease, obesity, sleep disorders and type 2 diabetes.

[00:03:15] The definition of a sedentary life may surprise you. Being sedentary is defined as sitting for longer than 6 hours a day, a length of time required by most jobs 5 days a week. Many of us who sit at a desk all day mistakenly believe a morning or evening workout

[00:03:32] inoculates us against the effects. Unfortunately, that isn't so. What can help a great deal is hopping out of your chair for a quick walk every hour. In today's working world, there is no way to avoid being sedentary. The chores of our grandparents like gardening,

[00:03:48] hanging laundry and washing windows are now outsourced or done by machines. We're no longer moving as our bodies were designed. Move for life We are only as old as our muscles are inactive. Doing nothing seems harmless,

[00:04:04] but we have to remind ourselves that the body was made to move. It's what keeps the engines of every one of our trillion cells alive. Thankfully, the body is very forgiving. After years, even decades of neglect, it will reward our efforts toward healthy living.

[00:04:20] The definition of a healthy body is a just-right balance between strength and flexibility. To make movement easy and effortless, muscles must be as strong as they are flexible. The dynamic stretching found in eccentrics reaches into parts of the body not targeted by everyday movement

[00:04:36] or even most exercise programs. It mindfully and systematically engages all 650 muscles and moves all 360 of our joints. Remember, nature is magnificent at conservation. When we stop moving, we're sending the signal to start killing off cells, whereas, the minute we start moving,

[00:04:56] the body receives the message that it's time to thrive. Let's get going on creating a thriving, vital life by moving our body all day throughout the day. 7 Ways to Rest by Cary Ogden of caryogden.com There are more ways to rest than sleep alone

[00:05:17] but our chronically on and high-achieving lifestyle would have us believe otherwise. For optimal health and wellness, we want to embrace all the ways we can rest our mind, body, and soul. The first type of rest we need is physical, which can be passive or active.

[00:05:34] Passive physical rest includes sleeping and napping, while active physical rest refers to activities like yin yoga and massage therapy that help improve the body's circulation and flexibility. The second type of rest is mental. Most of us moderns are suffering mental unrest.

[00:05:52] Thankfully, you don't have to quit your job or go on vacation to fix it. Just remember to slow down throughout the day. It can also be helpful to keep a notepad by the bed to jot down thoughts that would keep you awake at night.

[00:06:05] The third type of rest is sensory rest. Despite great advancements, our wiring is still quite primitive. Bright lights, computer screens, background noise, and multiple conversations can cause our senses to feel overwhelmed. Intentional moments of sensory deprivation can help soften the impact of our hyper-stimulating world.

[00:06:26] The fourth type of rest is creative. This type of rest is important for anyone who must solve problems or brainstorm new ideas. Creative rest reawakens the awe and wonder inside each of us. Keep fresh flowers around, hang art in your office,

[00:06:42] and turn your screensaver into something that inspires you. The fifth type of rest we need is emotional. This requires having the time and space to freely express your feelings and cut back on people-pleasing. Emotional rest requires the courage to be authentic.

[00:06:59] An emotionally rested person can answer the question, how are you today? with a truthful, I'm not okay. The sixth type of rest is social. We are the sum total of those closest to us. We must differentiate between those relationships that revive us from those that exhaust us.

[00:07:18] To experience more social rest, surround yourself with positive and supportive people even if your interactions have to occur virtually. The final type of rest is spiritual. This is the ability to feel a deep sense of belonging, love, acceptance, and purpose. To receive this,

[00:07:36] connect with something greater than yourself and try adding it to your daily routine. Think gardening, volunteering, or meditation. You just listened to the posts titled Sitting is the New Smoking and Seven Ways to Rest both by Kerry Ogden of kerryogden.com

[00:07:58] and I'll be right back with my commentary. Dr. Neil here for my commentary. I want to talk about Kerry's second post, Seven Ways to Rest. Resting is something I really struggle with. I have no problem getting the recommended of uninterrupted sleep most nights. Instead, the trouble I have

[00:08:17] is with taking time for mental rest and sensory rest. I often don't have quiet moments during my days to just calm my mind and quiet the environment around me. I often find that I will fill in any free time with finding new ways to stay productive.

[00:08:35] So instead of being okay with my progress on a work-related task and giving myself a mental and sensory break, I'll convince myself that I should keep working because I'm getting a head start on the next project.

[00:08:47] And I found that I do end up feeling burnt out at some point. I just can't keep up with that pace. Just like with exercise, over-training can lead to extreme fatigue and injuries. Over-working can lead to extreme fatigue and burnout.

[00:09:02] So I've found I've had to convince myself that just like my muscles need a recovery period after a tough workout, my body, mind, and spirit need a recovery period now and then too. Again, it's not really something I've mastered yet but something that I am working on.

[00:09:19] Alright, that'll do it for today. Thank you so much for being here. Thank you for listening every day. I hope you have a great start to your week. And I'll be back here reading to you tomorrow where your optimal life awaits.