A study has shown that up to 60% of the workforce across the globe does not engage in any physical routine or healthy movement while working. Whereas, these routines are needed to reduce the bad sides of excessive sitting all day.
Well, this is connected to the surge in technology and automation. That is, the contemporary workplace has dedicated much priority to the art of sitting all day without getting some tasks done manually or moving around.
Even if you engage in exercise while working or visit the gym regularly, you need to note that a sedentary life has many odds against you. But what exactly does a sedentary lifestyle mean? Are there any sure ways to live free of these health risks connected with sedentariness?
All your questions will be properly addressed in this article. We will also show you some work behaviors you need to practice while working in a sedentary environment. Let's get started!
What Are Sedentary Jobs?
In simple language, sedentary jobs are those tasks that demand you to sit for most of the workday to properly execute them. Beyond the corporate world, gamers are also victims of sedentariness since their job requires sitting for hours.
You can even be living a sedentary life without knowing it. Thus, any task that requires you to stay glued to your chair (sitting, tilting, and reclining) falls under the sedentary job category.
According to specialists, a sedentary workplace behavior occurs when an office worker carries any weight below 10 pounds and this is very common in many office spaces. After all, most of the paperwork, files, and documents in your office are almost weightless.
Therefore, such jobs are tagged sedentary and they have diverse build-ups of health risks over time. Here's a collection of some of the health risks linked to a sedentary lifestyle and some physical routines that'll help you move around the room.
Sedentary Jobs and Health Complications
In many quarters, sedentary jobs are being categorized as the new poison. Some folks even call it the new smoking. The answer isn't far-fetched - an office worker living a sedentary life is at the risk of health problems that a smoker puts himself.
Sitting for a long period of time can lead to grave health complications such as Type 2 Diabetes, heart disease, and cancer, among others and they've all been proven by various scientific studies. When the effects pile up over time and it becomes intense, blood circulation might become a huge problem.
Therefore, you need to reorganize your workspace in a way that your circulation will be enhanced alongside other ergonomic advantages. Here are some popular health problems of a sedentary workplace:
Diabetes
You stand a chance to fall victim to high blood sugar levels when you eat during the digestion process. However, the blood sugar level must be closely monitored and converted into energy through regular physical movements around the office.
You should also note that sitting for long hours reduces the chances of energy utilization and it can lead to chronic or long-term high blood sugar problems - diabetes.
Obesity
Sitting is known to be the body's most immobile and relaxed position, so it follows that there'll be no calorie burning or activation of energy to move across the room. This explains why office workers that sit all through the day and have their lunch at their desks while chomping have a higher likelihood of suffering from calorie build-up.
If a proper and healthy workout routine is not practiced to wage war against this problem, the accumulation of calories can lead to fat reserves that might make living quite uncomfortable for you.
Heart Problems
Another problem linked with sedentary workplace behavior is that it minimizes the need for blood circulation in the lower region of the body. Therefore, your heart health might be compromised.
Folks who sit for long hours and engage in this routine over time can also develop weaker long muscles. Due to the compromised and low pumping rate of the heart, a sedentary lifestyle at the workplace can also lead to consistent leg pains.
Posture Problems
Going further, it is quite unfortunate that many office workers have been robbed of the ease and calm that come with having an ideal posture. And this is connected to the hours spent glued to a desk.
Lowering your arms or raising them, at a very close distance, to a keyboard can also lead to shoulder and neck problems. This health complication is very prevalent among folks performing secretarial duties, so you need to be on the watch.
Furthermore, the constant habit of looking at the screen of your laptop or any other device for hours can also lead to neck strain and, if not addressed at the nascent stage, can also lead to chronic back pain.
Flowing from above, we will suggest that you learn more about the types of posture available and go for the one that suits you best. That way, the problem of strain on the body will be reduced to the barest minimum.
Anxiety and Depression
Although there is no direct nexus between excessive sitting and the moods of office workers and people don't seem to associate depression and anxiety with sitting as much as back and shoulders pain is linked to sitting, anxiety, and depression can also be caused by a sedentary life.
Recent studies, all backed up by science, have shown that office workers who spend more time sitting are very much more likely to fall into the abyss of depression and anxiety.
The answer to this claim is not far-fetched - physical activities are known to be a great morale booster, so their absence is bound to lead to sadness. Thus, it can be submitted that people living a sedentary life are missing out on all the exciting perks that come with a physically active or bustling life.
How to Minimize the Health Risks of Sedentary Position at Work
Do you know that almost all the remote causes of mortality can be linked to sedentary habits? So this fact also doubles the risks of diabetes, obesity, posture problem, heart problems, and cardiovascular complications.
Other health problems are high blood pressure, depression, osteoporosis, anxiety, and cancer. But what can you do to live free from these life-threatening diseases? We have some simple tips that you can use to reduce the serious pangs caused by a sedentary workplace life.
Seating Exercises
Of course, the first resort you should consider bringing into your office routine is a standing desk, there are other sitting exercises you can also check out.
From working with under-desk office exercise machinery to sitting exercises for proper abs, there are several hacks you can adopt to mitigate the problems of excessive sitting. The good news here is that you can choose a seating exercise that works for you most. After all, you have to consider your capacity to pull through the exercise as well.
Standing Desk
A standing desk is an amazing ergonomic solution you can always trust to infuse many health benefits into your work life. With a height-adjustable standing desk, you can always shuffle your work hours between sitting and standing.
This will ensure that you don't spend all your work hours in the same position. All you have to do is use the button on the ergonomic desk to transition between the two settings. With a standing desk, you can also control and regulate your blood sugar level and reduce the possibility of obesity since a great amount of calories will be burned while sitting.
As stunning as a standing desk is, some other benefits help you stay healthier through easy standing exercises. All you need to do is make further research on these exercises and go for your favorite among them.
Exercises
Exercise is one reliable and effective weapon to wage war against physical and mental health problems. Especially when you go for the ones that require much activity, exercises can offer your body many benefits such as muscle development.
As for the mental domain, engaging in exercises will help you stay within and sustain positivity always, reshape and resharpen your mode of reasoning, and reduce the chances of falling into depression and anxiety.
Therefore, we will recommend that you dedicate a certain portion of your daily schedule to working out. We assure you that it will be worth it in the end. Even if you are working from home, setting up the ideal office gym equipment will help you stay fit and sharp.
Actions to Take: Everyone
It will also cost you nothing to switch your sitting sessions for walking or standing anytime the chance surfaces. For instance:
1. Blend all the tasks for the day into each other so that there are changes in posture and various types of muscles and movements will be needed.
2. Prioritize the habit of taking regular breaks. As long as you have a valid reason to move around, you should develop the habit of going a long distance to help you stretch your legs. However, this should be done in a way that won't affect your work schedule.
3. Go for the standing position anytime you have to read or skim through a document.
4. You should also go for the standing posture anytime you are making or receiving a phone call. Thus, a cordless headset will help you stand comfortably and even work around the office room here.
5. Instead of making calls or sending mail at every slightest chance, it is better to walk to deliver a message to your colleague. Make sure that you leave your desk and walk around!
6. Go for the stairs instead of the elevators every time. This will also help you watch and stay ahead of every trace of obesity.
7. Develop the habit of leaving your office desk to eat your lunch. Probably walking down to a greenspace or local park will do.
Actions to Take: PCBUs
Here is another way to minimize the health risks associated with a sedentary lifestyle. Your place of work can introduce certain measures that'll not support but also promote a standing-friendly atmosphere at work.
Probably during group presentations, reports, conferences, or in the cafeteria, the employees and managers can be encouraged to observe constant movements and standing behaviors at the workplace.
You should review projects and revise task designs to reduce your sitting time.
Consider walking meetings.
If your workplace involves workers who spend many hours at the wheel driving, you should encourage them to observe regular breaks to stretch and feel re-energized.
Conclusion
Now that you have seen how dangerous is a sedentary workplace to your work life and overall health, we hope that you'll take one of the curative measures discussed above to give yourself a robust and sound lifestyle at work.
Remember that health is wealth and if you're not of a sharp mind, you might not be able to stay efficient as you ought to. This article is all you need to live a wonderful life. Seize the opportunity!
