If you spend every single working day sat at office tables, without getting up often to move around and stretch, you’re actually putting yourself at risk of many different health problems. You might be surprised at some of them; did you know that sitting too long can drastically increase your risk of heart disease?
A sedentary lifestyle is to blame for many health problems, and it’s vital that you at least remember to take your breaks, get some fresh air and exercise on those breaks and try and do some regular exercise away from work, e.g. walking, jogging, swimming, basically any type of exercise that gets your heart rate up on a regular basis. It can be as simple as taking the stairs instead of the lift, walking to work a few times per week, or simply going for a walk around the block during your lunch hour.
Check out this infographic for facts – some of them might surprise you!
Source: www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/this-infographic-will-show-you-how-harmful-sitting-too-much
Your office chair might be comfortable, but it’s not going to help you out health-wise if you don’t get out of it on a regular basis!
Have you ever tried any active seating alternative?
Prolonged periods of sitting:
Increase Your Risk of Heart Disease (Cardiovascular Disease)
Sitting for too long leads to an increased risk of weight gain, because you’re sedentary and therefore not burning calories or fat. In addition, when you’re sat down your overall blood flow is slower and that means that your muscles aren’t burning fat in general. For this reason, your blood vessels can easily become congested and clogged up, which can lead to heart disease over time. Your heart is also likely to be far weaker as a result of not moving around more. This is one of the biggest reasons to get up and do a little exercise, whatever that may be, during your breaks and throughout the day.
Increase Risk of Developing Diabetes
The fact that you are immobile means that your heart isn’t as strong as it would be otherwise, but it also means that your risk of developing diabetes, specifically type II, is higher. This is because your body doesn’t respond to insulin in the same way when you are inactive for long periods of time, increasing your blood sugar levels.
Cause Musculoskeletal Aches And Pains
If you sit down for too long and don’t at least stretch out, you’re going to increase your risk of developing lower back pain to a huge amount. This is one of the most common types of aches and pains that office workers complain of, and whilst it can be solved in most cases, it can become a prolonged and chronic problem if it isn’t kept in check. Make sure your chairs are ergonomically designed; even a boardroom chair should be adjustable for the individual sitting in it, and this will help to reduce those aches and pains, provided you get up and move around regularly too.
Result Poor Focus And Concentration
Your brain doesn’t miss out on the disadvantages of not moving around regularly either, as your focus and concentration will go south as a result of sitting down for too long. When your body is physically inactive for a period of time, your brain function actually slows down, because there is less blood and oxygen making its way to this vital organ. This is why after getting up and walking to the water fountain and back again, you instantly feel a little more focused!
Increase Headaches
By sitting for too long you will automatically develop a poor posture, probably slouching, no matter whether you have designer office desks or otherwise. By doing this you’re putting a lot of force and stress on your back and also increasing your risk of neck pain. This has a link to headaches, and you will probably find that staring at a screen for too long gives you eye strain at the same time. It is for this reason that staying late at the office is a big problem.
Did you expect those five things to be on the list? It’s vital that you find the best office furniture for your space, to ensure that when staff are sitting for long periods of time, they are comfortable and supported. Despite the furniture, it’s important that employers encourage their employees to get up and move around, being active around the office, as much as possible. This has huge effects for health and wellbeing, but also for productivity. When you combine this with a highly effective office desking system, health is improved and morale is on the rise!
Don't forget: prevention is better than cure.