According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one out of four American adults sits for more than eight hours a day. With about a quarter of the entire US population spending their time sitting for long periods, health experts started to raise awareness of how a sedentary lifestyle can lead to various health issues.
Based on a number of researches, sitting all day increases the risk of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, and other health conditions. Thus, medical experts have gone as far as to call “sitting” as “the new smoking” in order to discourage individuals from remaining seated for hours on end. However, this is proving to be a difficult task because the majority of the population is inclined to sit behind desks, computers, and steering wheels all day due to the nature of their work.
Luckily, there are several ways to keep yourself healthy despite the need to stay seated for several hours. For starters, you can take quick breaks in between work to move around the office. You can also wear compression socks that aid in blood circulation, as well as stretch in place to eliminate muscle stress.
True enough, the tips mentioned above are great workarounds to lessen the impact of sitting while in the workplace. However, to keep yourself healthy on top of everything else, here are some of the things you can do:
1. Walk at least 5,000 steps a day.
According to Dr. Lee of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, walking 10,000 steps a day is a fantastic way of staying in good shape. However, this number can be pretty hard to reach for working individuals who need to stay in their stations for hours every day. A good compromise is to aim for at least 5,000 steps. This is supported by a study published by JAMA Internal Medicine, which stated that you can reap health benefits despite not reaching 10,000 steps per day.
Even if you’re busy, reaching this count is a lot easier than you think. While at work, you can stand up and move around your workplace. You can also use lunch breaks to add some steps. Skip the elevator and take the stairs instead. And finally, park far from the entrance of your building and use that opportunity to walk to your office. You can easily complete 5,000 steps a day while participating in a whole range of activities. The key is to simply incorporate walking into your daily routine.
2. Make time for work out sessions.
On average, a full-time employee works 47 hours a week, which is why it’s pretty understandable if you cannot squeeze in time to exercise at least once a day as you should. However, this shouldn’t be used as an excuse to not work out at all.
Every week, devote at least 30 minutes or an hour of your weekend to exercise. You can either set an appointment for a fitness session or simply jog around your neighborhood. How you want to spend this time is up to you.
3. Do your work while standing.
Many companies have actually adopted the trend of working while standing by installing standing work desks in their office. There are still traditional organizations that haven’t warmed up to the idea of standing desks, but that doesn’t mean that you cannot do this on your own.
Instead of sitting behind your desk, find a high table where you can place your laptop and papers. Alternatively, you can purchase a conversion kit that allows you to convert an ordinary desk into a standing desk. This will let you shift to different positions, effectively reducing the amount of time you’re sitting at work.
Admittedly, it’s pretty hard to lead a healthy lifestyle if you’re stuck in a sedentary one. But lucky for you, there are smart ways to turn this type of problem into an opportunity. Though these approaches are somewhat different from conventional solutions, they are quite effective in keeping your body healthy despite your given situation.
