Feeling Drained?

September 2011

Are you exhausted everyday? Exercise physiologist Rich Weil says it’s what you don’t do that makes you feel drained. “Inactivity is an addiction that we may voluntarily or involuntarily surrender to,” he explains.

“It’s easy not to move and burn less calories—taking the elevator, the escalator, sitting at your desk all day, emailing your colleague down the hall. It’s easy to be sedentary. It’s a seductive habit—you can’t fail at all!”

Sitting for long periods of time at work makes your muscles tight and restricts blood flow. With additional stressors creeping in—dealing with your boss, clients, and other responsibilities—you must make a conscious effort to counteract the sluggish feeling. Here’s how:

Set an alarm and get out of your chair every hour for five minutes. Engage in the following stretches until you feel a slight pull in the muscle. It won’t do the trick if you just hold for 30 seconds—the area you are stretching must feel looser at the end of the exercise.

• Side bends: Slouching at your desk for 8 hours a day causes your sides to get tight. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, arms at your sides. Raise your right arm straight up, palm facing in. Bend at the waist towards the left without leaning forward or backward. Hold the stretch until the muscles in your sides, around your ribs, shoulders and armpits all feel looser. Switch sides and repeat.
• Head leans: Lean your head to the right so your ear drops down towards your shoulder and hold there. Then switch sides a couple of times.
• Spinal twist: Stand with your feet shoulder width apart. Raise your arms at your sides so they are parallel to the floor, palms facing down. Use your waist to rotate to one side. As you twist, try and reach around to touch the wall behind you while keeping your feet and hips pointing forward. Hold the stretch until your muscles feel looser, and rotate to the other side. Do this a couple times—it will help energize your muscles.
• Shoulder Shrugs: You can relax in your chair by shrugging your shoulders to your ears and taking big deep breaths. As you inhale, sit up straight and shrug your shoulders to create a little more tension in the neck than there already is. Then exhale through pursed lips, relaxing your shoulders as you let the air out. Do this until you feel less tension in your neck.

Remember: It’s not so much about repetition but loosening the muscles. If someone looks at you funny and asks what you are doing, ask them to join you!

Good nutrition is key. Simple carbohydrates—sugary beverages and candy—cause your blood sugar to skyrocket before you experience the “sugar blues,” or a sudden drop in energy. Focus on how your body responds to the foods you are eating. Include more protein in your meals to increase your satiety, or fullness, and choose snacks higher in fiber. Fruit with fiber (an apple, banana, etc.) has more satiety than candy or cookies. Three to four hours after a meal, listen to your hunger cues. If you are hungry, go ahead and eat. If you’re starving just two hours after your lunch, there was probably protein and/or fiber missing. You ought to feel full for a few hours after the meal.

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