Why Happier Veins Mean Better Productivity

Did you know that what affects your veins affects your cognitive abilities, too? Now, to be clear, productivity isn’t directly correlated to the state of your veins. However, many of the steps you can take to improve the function of your venous system can also help boost your workplace productivity. Here’s how.

Sleep affects the brain and circulatory system.?

Getting a good night’s sleep (7-8 hours a night for the average adult) is crucial for allowing your neurons to form the pathways that help you retain new information. It’s also crucial for your veins and heart, as most repairs to the circulatory system happen when you sleep.?

A bad night’s sleep, on the other hand, can raise your blood pressure, increasing the strain on your veins. It can also leave you groggy, forgetful, and unfocused (as we’re sure you’ve experienced at one point or another). Hence, for happier veins and good productivity, try to maintain a healthy sleep schedule. Ideally, go to bed and wake up at around the same time every night. You should also avoid losing sleep on weekdays and trying to make up for it on weekends, as it’s ineffective: you can’t store sleep.

Taking a break is good for your veins AND your concentration.

Your veins can only pump blood when your muscles are moving, which is why we always recommend getting up and wandering around for every ~30 minutes of sitting to avoid overwhelming your veins and circumvent venous disorders like varicose veins. Incidentally, taking short breaks from your work also improves productivity.??

According to a study by the University of Illinois researchers, your attention doesn’t necessarily drop after you’ve been doing a task for 50 minutes. However, your brain will try to focus on something else as the task stops being stimulating enough for it. To readjust your focus, introduce new stimuli by grabbing some coffee, stretching, or going for a quick walk around the block.

You can also try doing these long-haul flight exercises while seated at your desk: Long Haul Flight: 7 Leg Exercises for Varicose Vein Prevention?

Exercise improves your energy levels and gets the blood pumping.?

Regular exercise does a few great things for your body.?

• It boosts your circulation, pumping blood out of veins to your heart and increasing oxygen and nutrient delivery to tissues (brain included).
• Makes muscles more taught, decreasing the amount of space your veins can expand into and thus reducing the risk of them bulging and turning varicose.
• Boosts the production of ATP, the chemical your body uses for energy. You’ll have more energy both for your physical and mental output.
• Slows the progress of neurogenesis, the decreasing production of new brain cells as you age: the more cells your brain can produce, the better your mental acuity and memory.

Now, you do not need to become a gym junkie. Low and moderate-impact sports like walking, hiking, swimming, and Pilates are all your body and brain need to stay sharp. We’d recommend going on a 30-minute walk every day and taking a couple of exercise classes per week.?

Learn more: What You Need to Know About Sports and Varicose Veins?

A healthy diet means a healthy body.?

A diet rich in Omega-3 fatty acids and vitamins is key to keeping your veins strong and your brain functioning at its best. Your veins need these nutrients to maintain and repair vein walls, while your brain needs them to store information and keep you alert. In fact, according to a Population Health Management study, employees with an unhealthy diet were 66% more likely to experience a drop in productivity.?

We know it can be difficult to maintain healthy eating habits on busy workdays. But simple steps like switching out a burger for a couple of salmon-avocado sushi rolls can go a long way.?

Learn more: ?10 Foods You can Eat on Your Lunch Break for Better Vein Care | LinkedIn

Destressing can work wonders.

Some stress is good for helping us prioritise and focus on tasks. But too much stress drains your energy and often consumes your attention. It can also increase blood pressure, straining your veins and even going so far as to increase your risk of heart disease.?

To avoid these issues, you can try:?

• Breathing exercises?
• Tensing and relaxing: stress can trigger your body’s fight-or-flight response, and one way to turn it off is to simultaneously tense every muscle you can, hold for a couple of seconds, then relax.?
• Meditation

If there’s a particular task or deadline that’s causing your worries, try talking about it with your co-workers or project manager to see if you can get additional help or an extension.?

Learn more: ?Feeling Overwhelmed? Here’s How Stress Is Affecting Your Body

So, there you have it.

The steps we recommend to improve the function of your veins will also help improve your mental acuity and productivity. Keeping your veins happy can also help reduce your risk of venous disorders like varicose veins, which often come with uncomfortable symptoms (like pain, itching, and swelling) that can affect your focus at work.?

Do note, however, that there’s no surefire way to prevent the condition. Hence, if you start experiencing such symptoms or notice your leg veins growing larger, darker, and more twisted, don’t hesitate to seek specialist advice.?

At The Vein Institute, we specialise in treating varicose leg veins with minimally invasive treatments that require little to no downtime. Book your consultation by calling 13 VEINS (that’s 13 83467) or filling out our online form.?