WORK WELLNESS
Namaste Seated:
3 Benefits Of Chair Yoga
P
ushing paper. Jumping on
conference calls. Climbing the
corporate ladder. You regularly
exert yourself at the office, but you
reap none of the health benefits of
regular exercise. Quite the opposite. All of
that time spent commuting, sitting around
a conference table, or hunched over a desk is
slowly killing you.
Indeed, countless health experts have
declared sitting “the new smoking.” Studies
indicate that prolonged sitting restricts
blood and oxygen flow, increases your
likelihood of gaining weight, and puts you at
risk of developing serious illnesses, such as
heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
You know that a sedentary life is an
unhealthy one, but you also know your
manager is expecting that presentation
by end of day and you won’t have time to
grab lunch—never mind hitting the gym.
Allow JGS Insurance to introduce you to the
concept of chair yoga.
Developed by Lakshmi Voelker-Binder in
the power suit-cloaked 1980s, chair yoga
is the ideal workout for busy professionals.
Keep reading to learn why.
1. ANYONE CAN DO IT
Moves with names like The Neck Opener
and The Hamstring Slider may conjure
images of human pretzels, but chair yoga
is less intimidating than it sounds. Like
an ethical Human Resources department,
chair yoga does not discriminate based
on age, sex, or disability. Everyone from
the college interns to the one-year-away-
from-retirement set can perform chair
yoga moves. Take it from us! Last year, our
diverse staff participated in a fun chair yoga
event sponsored by Guardian Insurance,
Principal Life Insurance, and MAC Group
Inc.
Chair yoga converts of all ages may soon
notice that their bad back is feeling
surprisingly good, their flexibility has
increased, and their muscles feel stronger.
Chair yoga has also been known to improve
posture. A straight spine conveys confidence,
which may give you the edge you need to
close that deal or convince your boss that
you deserve that pay raise.
cardiovascular health by assuming chair
yoga positions for a few minutes each day.
Use those 10 to 20 minutes between
meetings to unwind with a few easy moves.
Stretch on the bench of the subway platform
to ensure that you don’t bring the troubles
of your workplace into your living space.
Remember, of all of the projects you’re
working on, the most important one is your
health. Leverage downtime to practice chair
yoga—a step towards a better life you can
take without standing. +
2. CHAIR YOGA RELIEVES STRESS
Plagued with worries surrounding job
security, interoffice conflict, and keeping up
with the increasingly high cost of living, it’s
no surprise that the majority of Americans
cite work-related matters among their top
three sources of stress. Fortunately, chair
yoga offers relief.
Like other forms of yoga, chair yoga
involves deep breathing and moments
of meditation—practices that help clear
your mind and lower your blood pressure.
Breathe in, breathe out, and avoid burnout.
3. CHAIR YOGA FITS INTO ANY
SCHEDULE
You may end a day of back-to-back meetings
on a bus in bumper-to-bumper traffic, but
even you have time on your calendar for a
chair yoga session. No matter your position
at the office, you can improve your flexibility,
muscle tone, posture, and mental and
BY: ALICIA AMBROSE
MARKETING ASSOCIATE , JGS INSURANCE
As a Marketing Associate with over eight
years of experience making things “look
pretty,” Alicia has mastered the ins and outs
of graphic design, social media and brand
awareness. After honing and executing these
specialties over the years, Alicia was excited to
join JGS Insurance in the spring of 2017 where
she spends majority of her time brainstorming
strategies to evolve this nearly 100-year old
company, championing health and wellness
initiatives for her coworkers all while making
sure everything “looks pretty.”
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