Are You a Perpetual Motion Machine?

Are you a perpetual motion machine? No, not really. But you should be. Perpetual motion machines can’t really function, but we humans could try to…First, let’s break down this phrase so we’re all speaking the same language.

perpetual: happening all the time or very often
motion: a movement of your body or of a part of your body
machine: a piece of equipment with moving parts that does work when it is given power from electricity, gasoline, etc. (1)

We’re designed to move - we have moving parts, we work when we get power from food, and this movement of our body/parts of our body should happen very often. Unfortunately, though, we don’t move our bodies enough. We’re hunched over electronic devices for work and play - the smaller the device, the bigger the hunch. We binge-watch tv, thanks to on-demand providers like Netflix and YouTube. All of this inactivity is wreaking havoc on our ability to move fluidly. Think about it - when you stand up, how long does it take you to go from sitting to standing? Do you feel stiffness in certain joints as you get up? Those moving parts - aka your joints - are seizing up from lack of lubrication.

When you’re stiff, you move more slowly. Until you can get your joints and muscles lubricated - by moving! - then, you can increase the speed of your movements. But when you don’t have a spring in your step, you look and act ‘old’. Why do we consider stiff and slow movements to be a sign of aging? Because older adults who are less active behave/move the same way. But you don’t have to be old to move in a slower, stiff way. You just have to be inactive - i.e., mostly sedentary. Kind of scary, don’t you think? Lack of physical movement is prematurely aging our society. So what’s the solution? Move more. It’s that simple.

After grad school, I worked in health promotion research, studying fall prevention among the elderly. It was there that I learned about activities of daily living (ADL). It’s a term used in healthcare to determine a person’s ability for self-care (2). Some don’t like the mnemonic used to refer to ADLs: DEATH - Dressing/bathing, Eating, Ambulating (walking), Toileting, Hygiene. Personally, I like the mnemonic; if you can’t complete these basic activities of daily living, you’re more likely to be knocking at death’s door. These activities indicate how well you can function on your own.

And there’s a second level of ADLs: Instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). They “are not necessary for fundamental functioning, but they let an individual live independently in a community.” Their mnemonic is SHAFT: Shopping, Housekeeping, Accounting, Food preparation/meds, Telephone/transportation. Sounds like more movement that allows independence. But I digress. 

Let’s return to the original list of ADLs. Can you put on a shirt unaided? Can you lift a fork to your mouth? Can you walk or even get in and out of bed? Can you sit down on the toilet and get up again unaided? Can your brush your own hair or teeth? All of these activities require motion, movement, physical activity. Call it what you will, I call it using your body to take care of yourself.

So, what can you do to keep yourself independent and living your life actively and without pain? Like I said before, move your body. If you can, incorporate a fitness program like Essentrics into your day. If you don’t feel like you have enough time to commit to a weekly one hour class, try adding snacks of movement. Rearrange your desk so you have to stand up and walk a little to reach your printer. Put your water bottle on a high shelf so you stretch to reach it. Stressed out waiting for the elevator? Take the stairs. Don’t tell me it’s too many flights - start with the stairs and when you’re pooped, get on the elevator for the rest of the trip.

I’ve created a new mnemonic to get people moving more during the work day. It’s SMOKE: Sedentary & Movement Optional Kills Early. Think about it, smokers move more than non-smokers at work. Isn’t it ironic that while they’re destroying their lungs, they’re actually getting more physical activity than their non-smoking colleagues? It’s socially acceptable to go for a smoke break at work. And because of indoor no-smoking laws, they have to leave the building to do so. Less socially acceptable is leaving your desk to ‘talk a walk’. But here’s the kicker: movement is not optional. A sedentary lifestyle leads to premature aging and death. We NEED to move more throughout the day. 

Tell your boss you’re taking a healthy “SMOKE” break for your body and your mind. And then get up from your desk and move. Go for a walk, stretch your arms up to the sky, twist and turn as you reenergize yourself head to toe. Not everything in our lives needs to be all or nothing. Just because you can’t make it to the gym doesn’t mean you can’t move. And even if you do go to the gym, you should still incorporate those snacks of movement/activity into your daily life. Be a perpetual motion machine and see how much better you feel.

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References:

1. http://www.merriam-webster.com
   
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Activities_of_daily_living
   
3. “Sitting Kills, Moving Heals. How simple everyday movement will prevent pain, illness, and early death - and exercise alone won’t”. Joan Vernikos (2011). Fresno, CA: Quill Driver Books.
   
4. “Move Your DNA. Restore your health through natural movement”. Katy Bowman (2014). Propriometrics Press.