Statistics show that the average person yawns four to six times daily - meaning that the average person yawns about 146,000 times over their lifespan.
During the average school day, students sit restlessly in desks or staring at computer screens, while faculty members are busy answering phones and sitting in meetings. Generally, movement is at an all time low.
Memphis Healthy U is offering a solution to the midday drag - Midday Moves. This focuses on boosting energy before the "2:30 feeling" even hits.
The schedule of events for Midday Moves is listed on the Healthy U website, and every event starts at 12:30 p.m. and ends about 20 minutes afterward.
Midday Moves is sponsored by a plethora of the University's schools and organizations such as the Loewenberg School of Nursing, the Alumni Association, the department of health and sports sciences and more.
"The idea is just that faculty and staff sit at their desks all day, and really any sort of movement is healthy," said Meta Laabs, the vice president of Student Affairs.
Different departments are in charge of different days of the week to provide maximum diversity to the activities.
"There has been line dancing, yoga, tai chi - just a lot of different types of activities for everyone to be involved with," Laabs said.
This is for graduate students, undergraduate students, faculty, staff and the general community on the University of Memphis campus.
"As a graduate student, I felt disconnected from student life, but this involves everyone, and I was able to meet undergraduates, alumni, graduates - it's a great network," said Jasmine Ellis, a graduate student at the U of M. "That little physical movement encouraged me to do something more that night or to get up and go to the gym the next morning. It's a nice jump start."
This concept began with Brad Martin, who believed it was a good idea for the campus to be involved in activities during the weekdays.
"The key is that all parts of campus are involved in planning it, and since midday is the central part of the day, it gives people a chance to rejuvinate, get out from their desks and iPods and have fun with their friends," Miriam Levy, the head of Healthy U said.
Every Wednesday, the physical activity is yoga - in which both the students and President Martin share an interest.
Ellis, who has been a participant in more than one activity for Midday Moves, feels that a lot of free offers around campus oftentimes have the misfortune of going unused or unnoticed and does not want Midday Moves to be one of those offers.
"I think everyone should come to at least once just to see how it is, and if you like it, tell someone else about it. Everything is free and provided, and people are living healthier in Memphis," Ellis said.
