We all sit a little too much, let’s face it. Micro-Moves That Keep You Healthy at Work.
Give Up Desk Drama: Tiny Actions That Maintain Your Health at Work.
Because of its well-known negative effects, which include an increased risk of diseases like dementia and early mortality, being sedentary has become all too usual, whether one is working a desk job, relaxing on the couch, or rotting in bed.
According to oncology physical therapist Scott Capozza of Yale Cancer Center’s Smilow Cancer Hospital, “we’re not engaging in any kind of cardiovascular activity if we’re sitting for longer periods of time,” Vox said. Thus, it is bad for our circulation, the lungs, and the heart.
Nearly one-third of American days are spent in sedentary activities. A recent study released this month associated a sedentary lifestyle with a 16% higher chance of dying from all causes. The study found that in order to reduce the risk, people who work occupations that require a lot of sitting down should exercise for an extra 15 to 30 minutes each day.
Although experts disagree on the precise amount and frequency of exercise, it has long been thought that regular exercise can counteract hours upon hours of sitting. Some studies recommends as little as 22 minutes each day.
According to Keith Diaz, an associate professor of behavioral medicine at Columbia University Medical Center, “it’s great for the muscles to be active and stimulated really heavily and really hard for 30 minutes or 60 minutes, whatever you do for your exercise.” Diaz said this to Vox.
“But when you don’t use them, they eventually stop working again.”
Instead, Diaz suggests that the best approach to break up a sitting period may be to move around regularly throughout the day. Diaz led a study that found that taking brief walks throughout the day was associated with a decrease in blood pressure and blood sugar rises.
However, he also discovered that people frequently forgot to stand up. To address this, he suggested scheduling walks around water breaks or using the conclusion of a job or meeting as a reminder to get up.
“It helps become more sustainable and becomes part of a habit you don’t have to rely on, like a reminder to do it,” he added when tying it into routines.
Although Diaz’s study indicated that low-intensity walking for five minutes was the most effective, he has an unproven “hunch” that moderate-to-intense exercising for one minute may be the most effective.
“I would say go do something a little bit more intense if somebody only has a minute,” he continued.
Since you won’t be able to perform high knees or squats next to your coworkers in a cubicle, Diaz advises using the restroom that is farthest away or parking at the back of the lot as ways to smuggle in extra steps. You may get more activity into your day when working from home by unloading the dishwasher for a few minutes or, if you’re feeling really fancy, by getting a desk treadmill.
You can still move when seated, such as by extending your legs, rolling your ankles, flexing your feet, and even performing certain upper body stretches.
“I would go for a ten-minute walk after class if you had to sit for two hours,” Diaz went on.
Tech neck is a common condition that may be avoided by sitting up straight and positioning your screen 18 to 24 inches away from your eyes. This can be caused by using computers and phones for extended periods of time while having bad posture.
He clarified, “You should not be sitting too far back in your chair so that more of your weight is on your hips and pelvis.” However, you want to avoid leaning too much forward in your chair since this will put an increasing amount of weight on your feet.
However, this does not imply that you should never sit again; as long as you remain active during the day, relaxing at night in front of your preferred Netflix program won’t be harmful.
“After a demanding day, our bodies require relaxation and recuperation,” stated Diaz, who enjoys unwinding with a TV show after work. “I don’t see anything incorrect with that. At the end of the day, I don’t have to feel bad since I made an effort during the day to move more and be more active.