We live in a society that requires us to sit the majority of the day. From commuting to work, to sitting through meetings and working at our desk, Americans spend an average of 7.5 hours per day seated at work. If you’re like most Americans, you likely follow your long day of sitting at work with 1 to 3 hours of sitting in front of the television when you get home. Leading such sedentary lives has wreaked havoc on the health of our nation and led doctors to coin the phrase “Sitting Disease.”
What is Sitting Disease?
Sitting Disease is just an idiom doctors use to symbolize the ill effects of leading a sedentary life. Humans are designed to move a good portion of the day. Studies show that extended periods of inactivity drastically increases your risk of contracting serious medical conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, obesity, and more.
what can you do?
While your daily routine provides numerous opportunities to remain stationary, it is important to get up and move; a body in motion stays in motion. One of the easiest ways to incorporate more movement into your daily routine is to work standing up for at least 10 minutes every hour. In addition to standing while working, there are a number of things you can do to incorporate more activity into your daily routine, including:
- Stretch – take time to stretch at your desk or even do a few light exercises.
- Walk – walk during your 15-minute breaks, during your lunch, start a walking club with, or even schedule walking meetings.
- Avoid email when possible – It’s obviously not realistic to handle all business face-to-face, but take time everyday to drop by a co-worker’s desk to personally deliver a message or ask a question.
- Revise your commute – if you take a car, opt for public transit a few days each week. If the weather is nice, get off a stop or two early so you can walk the rest of the way to work.
- Turn off the TV – seriously, how much TV do you need anyway? Instead of flopping on the couch to watch another reality show, take a brisk walk outside or put an exercise video on. If you must watch TV, try riding a stationary bike or walking on a treadmill during your favorite programs.
Leading a sedentary lifestyle is dangerous to your health and a surefire way to increase your risk of facing serious medical complications as you age. In addition to eating healthy and exercising regularly, standing at work can make a huge difference in your daily activity level. Using a dynamic workstation, you can seamlessly switch between a seated and standing posture during your workday. Visit our online catalog to find the dynamic workstation that is right for you so you can begin incorporating the practice of standing while working into your daily routine.
