Don't Sit, while you Can Stand Know Ways How to Stay Active in your Home & Office Workplace

Each day, millions of us spend hours at our desks or in meetings with no opportunity to get up and move around. There are many adverse effects on health from sitting for lengthy periods; how can we avoid this? We learn this.

Scientists have found a connection between sitting for long periods and developing health problems like obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.

The body's ability to control blood pressure, blood sugar, and fat breakdown may all be negatively impacted by prolonged periods of sitting.

Some health concerns associated with prolonged sitting can be mitigated by including light exercise in your workday.

 

One study has shown that exercising for 30 minutes five days a week, whether at the gym, on the way to work, or during lunch, reduces the risk of death by 1 in 12.

 

Keeping in shape can help you avoid some adverse effects of working stress. Poor mental health, depression, and hypertension are all signs of stress that can contribute to missed work.

Finding ways to be physically active might be challenging when you spend seven to ten hours a day sitting at a desk.

Ride a Bike or Walk to the Office Today

 

Change your commute depending on the distance between your workplace and your house. Instead of driving, try bicycling or walking.

Bicycling to work has been associated with a lower risk of death from all causes and a lower risk of cancer than driving or taking public transportation.

Commute alternatives, including bicycling and walking, have also been linked to a reduced chance of cardiovascular disease.

Additionally, compared to persons who drive to work, those who walk or ride a bike have a power-trusted Source of BMI and body fat percentage in midlife.

Those who choose more physically demanding modes of transportation to work, such as walking or riding a bike, not only enjoy the health benefits of these modes but also report feeling more focused and less stressed than their car-commuting counterparts.

Research shows that most people drive to work rather than actively commuting by walking or bike because they are concerned about arriving late. However, most participants overestimated the time required when asked how long it would take to walk or ride a bike to a popular destination.

A study by the University of Copenhagen in Denmark found that commuting by bicycle for overweight and sedentary individuals was just as effective at reducing fat mass as going to the gym.

If you want to lose weight but need more time or motivation to go to the gym regularly, a ride to work in the morning might be just what the doctor ordered.

Constantly on your Feet

 

The health concerns associated with sitting for lengthy periods can be mitigated through something as easy as getting up and moving around every once in a while at work.

Experts made recommendations in the British Journal of Sports Medicine in 2015 to reduce sedentary behavior and office sitting.

The group concluded that office workers should take frequent breaks from sitting by standing for at least 2 hours per day, with the ultimate goal being 4 hours per day.

These are the best practices for standing while working:

 

• Workers who spend most of their time at a desk should stand or engage in the light movement for two to four hours per workday.
• Taking frequent breaks from sitting by employing sit-stand desks or standing workstations
• Avoiding long periods of standing still, which can be just as bad for you as sitting.
• Regularly adjusting one's position can help stave off muscle aches and weariness.
• A growing body of research demonstrating the advantages of sit-stand workstations has led to their widespread use in the workplace.

 

Employees who used sit-stand desks at the University of Iowa in Iowa City stood for an extra 60 minutes per day, burning up to 87 calories, compared to their sedentary coworkers. Experts agree that this sum has the potential to make a big difference in the battle against obesity.

 

Neurocognitive benefits from using a standing workstation have also been demonstrated. Students, for instance, saw enhancements in executive functioning and working memory if they regularly used standing workstations.

 

Increase your Physical Activity

 

Moving around more seems like a no-brainer when trying to reduce sedentary behavior, but while working on a challenging task, hours can pass with nary a twitch.

 

The "bad" low-density lipoprotein cholesterol rises while the "good" high-density lipoprotein cholesterol falls.

Office workers surveyed about their seating habits stated wanting to move around more and sit down less.

You don't have to be still even when seated; a little movement in your chair could make all the difference.

A study done at the University of Leeds in the UK found that fidgeting, which involves making small, repetitive movements, might help lessen the bad effects of sitting for long periods. 

 

Six hours of desk work is enough to damage vascular function, according to a study from a reliable source. Vascular health, however, can be restored by getting up and walking around the office for 10 minutes after sitting for an extended period.

 

Make some adjustments to your routine to incorporate activity into your workday.

 

• Instead of emailing, walk over to a coworker's desk and have a conversation.
• Avoid the elevator and head for the stairs.
• Leave your car a short walk from the office.
• If you want to get in some extra steps before you get to work, take the "scenic" route.
• Make yourself get up and walk around your desk to the things you use most often.
• Raise your body off the ground and take calls or compose emails.
• Put an alarm on your phone to force you to get up and move about every so often.

 

Incorporating exercise into the workday has been shown to improve health, lower absenteeism, and increase concentration, happiness, and output. Your employer may be amenable to a change in the office layout that allows for more significant opportunities for movement if you explain the many benefits of doing so.

 

Some companies are already providing stretching sessions in the morning, yoga breaks during the workday, and lunchtime running clubs to assist their employees in taking care of their health and increasing productivity.

To improve the workplace, there are a variety of options available. Cases in point might include:

 

• The elimination of desk chairs and other seats
• Gatherings that use walking as a regular activity
• Laying down footpaths
• Launching a step counter app
• The replacement of landlines with mobile devices
• Including Fun Activities at Work
• Providing Tracking Devices
• Counseling staff on how to improve their diet and exercise routines
• Including treadmills and other forms of exercise equipment at workstations
• Having a good time while bouncing around on some balls

 

Employees lost weight and body fat, and the company's income increased by roughly 10 percent in the first few months of research examining the impact of a re-engineered working environment.

Participate in Some Physical Activity during your Lunch Break

 

Stop eating your lunch in front of your computer while also checking your phone and responding to emails; instead, go for a walk or do some other form of physical activity. When you return to your desk, you'll be ready to tackle the rest of the day with renewed vigor and focus.

 

Doing exercise of any kind, even if it's just going for a brisk walk, cycling, swimming, or to your gym for an hour, is a great way to break up the day and get pumped up for the rest of the workday.

 

An analysis of data from more than a million people found that the increased mortality risk associated with sitting for 8 hours a day could be counteracted by engaging in at least an hour of physical activity daily.

 

Those who sat for 8 hours per day but also engaged in physical activity had a lower risk of dying prematurely than those who sat for fewer hours per day but led sedentary lifestyles.

 

According to a reputable source, physically active workers are less likely to experience mental health deterioration, such as depression and burnout, than their inactive counterparts.

Four hours a week of exercise reduced the risk of mental health issues by half for those who participated in the study.

No matter how you plan to incorporate exercise into your workday, even if it's just for 10 minutes, remember that, it's better than doing nothing.

Get started with a daily 10-minute brisk walk, and work up to 30 minutes of moderate physical activity five days a week.