Exercise

New York, July 4 (IANS) Desperate to hit the gym, but worried about working out with masks? Wearing masks, both N95 and cloth mask, while exercising is safe and effective, suggests a study.Wearing a mask while at rest or during activities of daily living is recommended to be safe and effective for reducing the risk of person-to-person airborne transmission of SARS-Cov-2, the virus causing Covid-19.A team of researchers from the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, US, tested whether mask wearing during exercise stress testing (EST) to peak exhaustion provokes clinically indicated safety concerns.The trial included 20 never-smoker, apparently healthy, recreationally active men (11) and women (9) in treadmill EST under each of the experimental conditions: no mask, N95 (3M, 8200, N95 respirator), and cloth mask (Boco Gear PM2.5 activated carbon filter).AWhile there was discomfort exercising with a mask, it did not raise any health issues, revealed the study published online in JAMA Network Open."This crossover trial found that perceived breathing resistance at peak exercise is uniquely and significantly elevated when EST is performed while wearing a mask," Matthew Kampert, from the Center of Sports Medicine, Department of Orthopaedics, at Cleveland Clinic."Performing EST with a mask yielded lower peak VIO2 and heart rates as compared with no mask. However, each experimental condition resulted in peak exercise values that generally remained within normal limits, and no EST required termination due to clinically indicated safety concerns."Thus, although it is possible that wearing a mask exerted a physical limitation on exercise capacity, the clinical relevance of such a possibility is not supported by these data," he said.As the study did not include people with chronic disease or heart or lung problems, the researchers recommended that people with underlying health conditions talk to their doctor about exercising with or without a mask.--IANSrvt/kr

One of the most common changes post-pandemic is the global adoption of the 'work-from-home' (WFH) culture. As professionals set up their indoor workstations, their overall physical activity has reduced. The shutdown of public spaces like gyms, beaches and parks, coupled with restrictions on other outdoor activities such as walking, jogging or cycling, has further added to the problem, says Dhara Tanna, Senior Vice President of Fitternity. Advocating for inclusion of varying forms of exercise in one's daily routine, Tanna believes individuals can achieve their fitness goals right from the safety of their homes. Here are some workouts that she suggests you can easily include in your WFH regime to seamlessly achieve the balance between work and well-being. Also, Read► Boost Your Well-Being While in Isolation Before Starting Your Work Day It is essential to start your day with a calm and relaxed approach. Engaging in some breathing exercises like pranayama or anulom vilom will help you stay focused and stress-free. Further, practicing these will ensure lowered blood pressure, heart rate, and risks of depression. These exercises are also known to better the symptoms of diabetes and effectively lower chronic pain. They help in keeping the body adequately oxygenated, which is very necessary during the present times. Walk And Talk With most office meetings turning into conference calls, you end up staying seated for longer time periods. You can start taking your calls while walking around your workspace to stay active. Apart from improving your blood circulation, it will also help you benefit from the much-needed break from screen time. Additionally, walking induces the release of healthy endorphins or happy hormones in the body as well as helps in loosening muscles. You can even increase your steps by going to the kitchen for water; instead of sitting with a bottle. You can also keep yourselves motivated by having a healthy competition with a friend or family member on who achieves the most steps. Well-Being Breaks Replace screen time while you take your in-between breaks with some quick stretches. They are beneficial for both the mind and the body. It will provide muscles and joints with the required movement while simultaneously breaking the monotony of sitting in one position for far too long. It even reduces soreness and stiffness. Some of these exercises like neck rolls, side stretch, back and upper back stretch, seated hip stretch, spinal twist are a few stretches that can be performed right at your desk. Just like our body, our eyes also need some rest. Eyes Need Rest Too Eyes have muscles which also require proper exercising in order to stay strong and healthy. One such easy exercise to reduce eye strain while working from home is the 20-20-20 rule exercise. One should practice to look away from the screen after every 20 minutes and focus on any object that is 20 feet away for 20 seconds. This will surely work as a strain relief to your eyes. Post-Work Workout To stay fit, people need to include at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week; or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise weekly. You can pick from a wide range of workout regimes that can be easily done at home. Some of these workouts include Yoga, Zumba, Pilates, Functional Training, and High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) among others. To stay on track and enjoy the best results, you can even join online classes. Most such digital platforms even offer the option of one-on-one training with instructors. With fitness being the top priority of many, these are just a few things that one can include in their daily lives. Professionals can make adjustments in this plan depending on their specific work routines, says the Fitternity expert. However, to regularly engage in some form of physical activity is something you can't afford to compromise. Consistency is the primary ingredient in the recipe for a healthy life. Exercise not only improves a person's physical health but also works wonders for their mental well-being. Read More► Leading Causes Of Lifestyle Disorders

While Covid-19 cases continue to surge, we need to be even more vigilant, while staying at home and keeping ourselves healthy and fit. While eating right and exercising ensures our bodies and minds stay fit, it is also important to strengthen our respiratory system as that is also severely affected by the virus. Breathing exercises are a great way to develop the lungs as they improve lung muscles, clear out any secretion and increase the capacity by supplying an adequate amount of oxygen. There are several other benefits to these exercises as well! It also helps us stay calmer, and de-stress especially in these unprecedented times we are living in. To get started, here are five breathing exercises you can do at any time of the day and in any comfortable space. Also, Read► How to Choose a Workout That Fits Your Needs Deep breathing with increasing counts: breath-in and breath-out This is one of the easiest and most important exercises. It helps in strengthening our lungs and improving blood flow, immunity and eliminating stress and anxiety. Steps: * Sit down in a relaxed position, take a deep breath and count your inhalation and exhalation. Ideally, your inhalation and exhalation counts should be the same. * With each breath increase the count to inhale and exhale for as long as comfortable. Practise from 2 to 5 minutes duration. Diaphragmatic Breathing Also known as belly breathing, or abdominal breathing, this particular exercise has various benefits such as managing irritable bowel syndrome, depression, anxiety and insomnia. Normally people get in the habit of breathing without fully utilising the lower part of their lungs. With this breathing technique, you consciously practise filling in lungs to their maximum capacity and increasing oxygen uptake. Steps: * Lie flat on the floor or sit in a comfortable position and relax your shoulders * Put one hand below your chest and just above your stomach (this is where your diaphragm sits) * Take a deep breath in by expanding your diaphragm or stomach and exhale slowly. Cardiovascular Exercise The benefit of any cardiovascular exercises is that it increases your heart rate which forces the respiratory system to become more efficient and eventually increases the amount of oxygen you take with each breath. This allows for your lungs to improve capacity and function better. Here are some of the most common cardiovascular exercises that you can do from the comfort of your home: are brisk walking, spot jogging, jumping rope, jumping jacks and climbing staircase. Also, Read► 6 Best Fitness Apps So You Can Exercise Anywhere Anulom-Vilom More commonly known as alternate nostril breathing, it is a prevalent Pranayama and has been spoken about in the Hatha Yoga literature. This exercise helps clear out the nasal passage and improves respiratory muscle strength. It is advised that Anulom-vilom should be practiced on an empty stomach ideally in the morning or in the evening after a long meal gap. Steps: * Sit on a chair or on the ground cross legged, in a meditation position * With your right thumb, close your right nostril and inhale through the left nostril. Release your right nostril and with your middle and ring finger, close your left nostril exhaling through the right nostril * Inhale through the right nostril, then release the fingers, closing the right nostril and exhaling through the left nostril * Continue the slow breathing through alternate nostrils and focus on the breath * Practise this for 10 minutes for benefits to start accruing Bhramari Derived from Sanskrit, brahmari literally means a bee. It is a humming exercise, which increases nitric oxide in the body and acts as vasodilators; helps with easier blood flow through the vessels and prevents muscles from tightening. Steps: * Sit on a chair or on the ground cross legged, in a meditation position. * Close your ears using your thumb and place your middle and ring fingers lightly at the inner corner of your eyes. * Rest your index finger above your eyebrows and little finger where it rests on your cheeks. * Take a deep breathe in and while exhaling make a soft humming sound similar to 'hmmmmm', throughout the entire exhalation. Inhale again and while exhaling make the humming sound. * Practise for 10 minutes for benefits to start accruing. These exercises won't help prevent Covid, however, if performed daily, they will help in developing a stronger respiratory system which can help our body to fight any possible infection. Having said that, if you or your family members have any pre-existing health conditions or are feeling any discomfort, please do consult with your doctor. Reference * Saoji AA, et al. Effects of yogic breath regulation: A narrative review of scientific evidence. Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine. Volume 10, Issue 1, (2019): 50-58 * Martel, J., et al (2020). Could nasal nitric oxide help to mitigate the severity of Covid-19?. Microbes and infection, 22(4-5), 168--171 * Sivakumar G, et al. Acute effects of deep breathing for a short duration (2-10mins) on pulmonary functions in healthy young volunteers. Indian J Physio Pharmacol 2011; 55 (2) : 154--159 * https://www.healthline.com/health/diaphragmatic-breathing * Hakked CS, et al. Yogic breathing practices improve lung functions of competitive young swimmers. Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine. Volume 8, Issue 2 (2017): 99-104 (Jyoti Dabas, Founder & CEO, Institute of Nutrition and Fitness Sciences (INFS)) Read More► 12 Yoga Poses That Do Wonders to Your Skin Naturally

Berlin, May 30 (IANS) The coronavirus-induced lockdown made people 40 per cent less active, and tripled the potential risk for depression, finds a large study led by German researchers.The significant decrease in physical activity levels and well-being can spur a hidden "pandemic within the pandemic", warned 20 scientists from 14 countries."Governments and those responsible for health systems should take our findings seriously," emphasised the team headed by Jan Wilke from the Institute for Sport Sciences at the Goethe University, Frankfurt.About 13,500 participants reported physical activity levels, and 15,000 participants reported their mental and physical well-being before and during the pandemic-related restrictions in April/May 2020.Moderate exercise like brisk walking, running, cycling decreased by an average of 41 per cent according to self-reported data; while vigorous exercise fell by a 42 per cent.The decline in activity was particularly noticeable among people over 70 years of age, who were 56 to 67 per cent less active than before."We know that physical inactivity, especially in older people, can lead to changes that are difficult to reverse after only two weeks -- for example, in body fat percentage or insulin sensitivity," the researchers said.Further, 73 per cent of the study participants said their well-being deteriorated. The perceived quality of life as measured by the World Health Organisation well-being Index, which measures mood, relaxation, activity, rest and interest, dropped on average from 68 per cent before the pandemic to 52 per cent during the first lockdown phase.Above all, people felt "less active and full of energy" and led a life "less filled with interesting things".The proportion of very low scores indicating a possible risk of depression tripled from 15 to 45 per cent."These effects were stronger among women and younger people," the study says. "More attention should be paid to the needs of women in particular, as they are significantly more vulnerable."Nonetheless, 14 to 20 per cent of the respondents also stated that their health had improved. The reason could be more family time, greater work autonomy, fewer business trips, or a changed perception of health as possible reasons, the researchers said.--IANSrvt/vd