16 Mar RE:treat, Off the Cuff: Why Deskasana is Bad for You
If you are sitting at a desk right now, how is your posture? Are you snapping yourself upright as you read my words? If you are sitting in an office, how is the posture of your colleagues? You’ve probably heard whisperings of late – maybe even a few shouts – about the hazards of sitting. This recent article from Yoga Dork talks about “deskasana” or that all too familiar rounding mainly of the thoracic spine and associated misalignment of the neck. Not only is “deskasana” bad for spine health, other serious health consequences are coming to light about being chair-bound for extended periods of time including – egads – cancer, heart disease, even premature death. If you do have to be at a desk all day, Murat Dalkilinç recommends taking regular breaks – about every half hour – and maintaining an upright posture as a way to combat the long list of ill effects.
If this doesn’t get you out of your seat we don’t know what will. OK maybe this (the greatest dance flash mob of all time).
This fascinating and downright sobering video from Murat Dalkilinç, via TEDEd, digs into the effects and risks of sitting for long periods of time. The spine in particular really gets the shaft when we sit hunched over, also known as deskasana.
The thing is, as humans we’re meant to move. We’re built for it. For instance, we have over 360 joints and about 700 skeletal muscles that allow to us move fluidly, our blood and nerve cells depend on us to move around, and our skin is elastic, stretching and bending with our movement.
When every inch of your body is waiting for you to move, what happens when you don’t?…
RE:treat is a relatively new, Telluride-based yoga-inspired lifestyle adventure company offering first-class outings (or retreats) in the mountains of Telluride and similar locales abroad. The company’s tagline says it all: “Elevated lifestyle adventures.” The founders of RE:treat – Babsi Glanznig, Nicole Nugent, and me, Georgie Bishop – hail from three different continents, America, Austria and Australia, but the ties that bind are yoga, travel, food, and mountain sports. The programs the threesome offers through RE:treats in America and Europe naturally reflect their shared passions: Ashtanga, Forrest, and restorative yoga practices, skiing, hiking, wellness advice, massage, local taste treats and beverages.
In 2015, RE:treat is hosting a Yoga Glamping Safari in the desert southwest of the U.S., a yoga + hiking retreat in the Italian Dolomites, a luxurious yoga adventure escape in Santorini Greece.
Contact RE:treat to plan your next yoga vacation. 970-729-8108 or PO Box 2615, Telluride, CO. 81435.
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