No Shelf Required
Place your hands shoulder-width apart on the edge of your chair, with your palms down and fingers pointing forward. Step back three or more feet from the chair. Keep your knees together and lean your hips toward the floor. Keeping your body aligned straight, your abs tight, bend at the elbows and lower your chest to the chair seat. Hold for six seconds. Repeat.
Intermediate – Keep you elbows by your side as you lean forward and hold. Repeat.
Stand as tall as you can with your feet spread shoulder-width apart. Lower your body as far as you can by pushing your hips back and bending your knees. As you bend, raise the arms straight up or towards the computer screen. Keep the knees together and aligned. Pause, then slowly push yourself back to the starting position. Repeat.
Intermediate – as you lower your body, cross the right ankle over the left knee, hold for 15 seconds, then switch!
Place your palms down on the chair seat at each side of your outer thighs. Inhale and scoop your abs in towards your back. Press into your palms, keep your knees bent, and raise your lower body off of the chair. Hover over your chair for a few seconds, or longer. Gently lower down to the chair, rest, and repeat two to four more times.
Intermediate – Lift your knees as high as you can to get the most out of this ab exercise.
“We generate fears while we sit.
We overcome them by action.”
-Dr. Henry Link
“Yes, there are two paths you can go by,
But in the long run
There’s still time to change the road you’re on…”
-Led Zeppelin “Stairway to Heaven”
Movement/Exercise –
We can see it through a child’s eyes as play
with the outdoors as our playground.
Example –
from UCI’s ‘Move More’ Campaign –
Why Should I Take The Stairs:
http://www.wellness.uci.edu/MMElevatorBlastSupplement.pdf
Enjoy!
You’ll like this move……..
Seated “Figure 4” Stretch
While sitting in your chair, cross your RIGHT ankle over your left knee, as if making a figure “4.” Keep your back as straight as possible as you hinge at your hips to increase the stretch. You can even apply a little extra pressure on the right thigh to deepen the stretch, as well. Hold the stretch for about 60 seconds, and then switch sides to cross your LEFT ankle over your right knee and repeat. Breathe throughout the stretch.
You know that breaking a sweat is good for your heart, your mind and your waistline. But it can also help you catch more Z’s. According to a poll from The National Sleep Foundation, 83% of vigorous exercisers said they snooze well compared to just 56% of non-exercisers. “Activity promotes healthy levels of many hormones and other chemicals in the body, which in turn may promote healthy sleep,” explains Michael Grandner, PhD, MTR, director of the Sleep and Health Research Program at the University of Arizona College of Medicine.
So when should you workout? Experts used to believe that doing so too close to tuck-in-time could affect your sleep. Today, they refute that. “Some recent research suggests that exercising before bed does not impact sleep as much as we once thought it would,” explains Fitbit Sleep Advisor Allison T. Siebern, PhD, consulting assistant professor at Stanford University Sleep Medicine Center and director of the Sleep Health Integrative Program at the Fayetteville VA Medical Center in North Carolina. “It really depends on the person.” Instead, the best time to sweat is what works well with your schedule. After all, in our go-go-go world, “we get so little opportunity that the benefits of exercise almost always outweigh the negative effects of doing it at less than optimal times,” explains Grandner.
How can you sync your sweat sessions and your sleep? Read on…
If your schedule allows you to choose between morning or night, ask yourself if you’re a morning person or a night owl. Then, pay attention to how you sleep when you exercise in the AM or PM and see if one is more alerting than others. “If it takes more than 30 minutes to fall asleep, then dial your exercise back. Otherwise, you are OK,” says Grandner.
Most of us think if a little of something is good, more is better. But that’s not the case when it comes to working out and snoozing. “People who do more than an hour of vigorous activity (the kind that makes you really sweat) every day do tend to report more sleep problems, so that may be too much of a good thing,” explains Grandner. Instead, keep your workout to an hour and/or do it at a more moderate intensity.
“Our study showed that people who get a lot of their activity from yoga were more likely to get 7-8 hours of sleep than people who get no activity and even more than people who get most of their activity from walking,” explains Grandner. Experts suspect it may be yoga’s mind-mellowing effects that result in better sleep or its deep breathing techniques. “Tension is a signal to your brain to be on alert ( a fight or flight response) and this can override your sense of sleepiness,” explains Siebern. “When one is in a more relaxed state, this sense of sleepiness is not masked as much.”
Although exercising at night won’t keep you up, you should “allow for a window of time – about 30-60 mins – prior to bed to wind down with a more relaxing activity,” says Siebern. This can include reading a book, meditating, taking a bath or pretty much anything that calms your body. It’s also important to give your mind a time-out so jot down your worries and To Do’s to get them out of your head before you turn in.
Of course, it’s key to stay hydrated while you break a sweat. But be aware that excess water before bed can lead to midnight trips to the bathroom, says Grandner. Also, though you may want a post-workout snack, make sure it’s a light one. A snack before bed can be a good thing, but heavy meals and too many calories can make it harder to fall asleep, cautions Grandner.
This article is not intended to substitute for informed medical advice. You should not use this information to diagnose or treat a health problem or condition. Always check with your doctor before changing your diet, altering your sleep habits, taking supplements, or starting a new fitness routine.
Michele Bender is an award-winning freelance writer. She has written for many media outlets, including Family Circle, Glamour, Yahoo! Health, Dr. Oz’s YouBeauty, and The New York Times. She also co-authors/ghost-writes best-selling books for high-profile experts and celebrities. Two of the latest are Curly Girl: The Handbook and The Immune System Recovery Plan.
Did you know there is an Ecological Nature Preserve on campus and it’s over 60 acres? The first chancellor Daniel Aldrich had a huge part in protecting this open space from being another housing or other campus development. Some of the natural habitat had been disturbed and invasive plant species have been a problem, but for the past 20 years there has been consistent work in keeping this preserve native and wild.
Recently students in the Ayala School of Biological Sciences wanted to draw more attention to the area and was able to get a grant funded to develop the trails and install signs. There are now trail head markers and trail signs pointing out the local flora and fauna. On May 25th, just a two weeks ago they had an Installation Celebration of the UCI Ecological Preserve’s Interpretive Signs.
It is so close you can easily walk over there within 10 minutes from the library and get in a quick nature hike during lunch, or right after work. It’s quiet and peaceful and has great views on the top of the bluff. On clear days you can easily see Catalina and downtown Los Angeles. If you have binoculars you can see the Hollywood sign.
Interpretive sign for California Buckwheat
Trailhead marker on East Peltason Drive
House Rules for Trail Guests sign
Where is this place?
It’s on East Peltason drive, across from the parking lot 12B and next to University Hills. An easy way to get there is to go to the UC Club, up to E. Peltason. Cross the street there at the cross walk and turn right towards Bison. The Eco Preserve will be upon you very quickly on the left.
The stewards said they plan on having campus and community guided walks in the future. Look for more info on that, in the months to come.
In long term there is a plan to connect the trails here to the trails around Irvine, such as Crystal Cove and Bommer Canyon.
In the meantime, go out and explore!
Trail looking towards campus
Trail with flowering Cactus
Photos by Pamela Gordon
Cat-Cow Yoga Pose – Seated
Taking a quick break and trying out this pose may help you in many ways. The Cat-Cow pose is gentle and stretches the back and neck while helping to bring flexibility to the spine. This modified yoga pose for the office can help your back, neck, reduce anxiety and improve concentration. It also will help relieve stress and calm the mind by focusing on your breath and posture for a few moments.
For those with rollers on their chairs you may want to place a towel or something to block the wheels from rolling during this exercise.
• Sit straight on your chair with both feet flat on the ground
• Place your hands flat on your knees
• On your inhale: slowly arch your back and look up towards the ceiling
• As you do this roll your shoulders back and down, almost together
• You are now in the Cow position
• Hold for a moment
• On your exhale: round the spine in the opposite direction and look down bringing your chin to your chest
• As you do this your shoulders are coming forward as your head drops down. You may also tuck in your belly for a deeper exhale.
• You are now in the Cat position
• Hold for a moment
• Repeat for several breaths
Hip Flexor Stretch
Do you feel sore in your back after a full day of sitting and working on the computer? One reason may be due to your hip flexor muscle that shortens and tightens up when we sit for long periods of time. This muscle runs through your pelvis to your back, so when it gets tight you feel it in your back.
While at your desk, stretch this out:
I’m doing this one throughout the day today……
To stretch the muscles of your chest:
Chair Slide
Illustration by Kagan Mcleod
If you’re in a regular chair, place your heels on a towel on a slick floor (or wear socks), and draw the towel toward your chair. Straighten your legs and slide the towel out again to return to the starting position. Do up to 10 reps.