Unfortunately for most, the feeling of not moving enough is commonplace. Maybe a profession filled by a dentist, which may in reality be the most tiring of all careers, even after spending a long period at a desk, proves to be a rather tricky one. New studies are proving the bad effects of sedentary behaviour on our body and total health, one of which could point out that sitting for hours is, in fact, “the new smoking.”
When combined with this intrinsic difference, the oddities that are usually felt in dentistry-from the great number of hours to work, down to sticking to patient schedules in the office, and topped by the added stressors of practice management or even transitioning from one dental practice to another, it simply creates a perfect storm for both physical and mental fatigue. Given that you are a dental professional, you would want something that brings concrete benefits without being accompanied by hours of free practice after work or a long commute. Ideally, it should be something easily integrated into the workday itself.
These are the ancient Yoga and the modern early 20th-century discipline called Pilates. Yoga came from India around 500 BC, and Pilates is relatively new and mostly aims to cure muscular imbalances and general overall health improvement. While the two do differ in approach, Yoga has a more strong spiritual component, usually adding psychological benefits to those already receptive to this. Pilates tends to be purer in the sense of physical conditioning, meaning that both methods offer very valuable tools for the demanding life of a dentist.
If one wishes to try Yoga or Pilates, all it takes is to go online to find out that there are so many studios surrounding them. For the rest of us who may not want to use or have the opportunity to learn while at home or even seamlessly integrate movement into one’s workday, Do Yoga With Me, among many others, will be a good source of free and paid online classes that suit different levels and preferences.
Here are several key ways in which incorporating Pilates and Yoga can greatly benefit dental professionals:
Dissolve Stress: The environment of a dental practice is rather confined and often very high-pressure, bringing about the inevitable outcome of stresses that build up. There are avenues of Yoga and Pilates that promote stress relief before, after, and even during those short breaks at work. Breath-focused movement steady calm the nervous system, lower cortisol levels, and clear-headedness and relaxation come. This might be particularly effective in managing anxiety associated with a dental emergency or with a particularly challenging patient case.
Increased Flexibility and Posture Improvement: Restricted flexibility commonly results from a prolonged posture during the dental procedure. Given the patient hours, whether leaned over a chair or examination table, one can completely strain their neck, back, and shoulders. However, stretching, which is central to Yoga and Pilates practice in most cases on a daily basis, elongates the muscles and improves spinal alignment and overall flexibility. This can thus act against the effects of that profession with regard to pain and also improve ergonomic comfort through long procedures, even avoiding situations that could cause personal dental emergencies.Â
Other aspects include:Â
Increase Your Stamina: The additional power built at the foundation of the body’s internal support system through Pilates and Yoga will inevitably multiply everyday energy levels instead of making the muscles feel at the end of a long day worn out and drained. With a strong core stabilizing the body throughout the day by minimizing strain, energy can be much longer-lasting in a person’s everyday life. This increased vitality would make all of the difference in daily performances at work and outside separating someone from the run-of-the-mill end-of-day slump.Â
Slows the Aging Process: Interestingly, the latest research seems to indicate that Yoga, in fact, slows down the aging process by raising the levels of two hormones that affect longevity, Growth Hormone (GH), and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEAS). The production of both, unfortunately, falls as one matures into age. This will often be true for men, who usually enjoy much greater improvement from routine practices holding hormonal balance, which impacts their health and wellness over what could be a much-shortened lifetime and thus reduces the chances of even developing ailments requiring urgent care, with possibly some of those requiring involvement being specific to personal physical dental emergencies.Â
In fact, for those long years, very often stressful in terms of work, in their careers as dentists, or those unbearable years with a major transition in the profession, Yoga and Pilates should certainly be integrated into life. Such naturally wholesome yet incredibly accessible practices possess the might to not only improve but also enhance one’s vitality and performance in work. Imagine getting an incredible sense of balance and wellbeing in a career that, at times, may feel like a dental emergency because of its rigorous demands, much like constant openings for those in demanding professions.
Written by Milos Radakovic – mradakovic17@gmail.com
