Is sitting the new smoking?

Just because you have a ‘desk job’ doesn’t mean you have to be glued to your desk all day. Even if you are fit and healthy, sitting all day isn’t good for your health. Unfortunately, daily exercise before or after work does not cancel out a day of sitting in front of the computer.  

Try to spend at least an hour or two on your feet each working day.  

• Standing desks have become popular but must be used on a regular basis to make a difference! Set a timer to remind yourself throughout the day. Movement is important to get blood circulation through the muscles, so you’re better off swaying, rocking, and stretching while you stand.

• Set a silent alarm on your smartphone to go off every hour and walk for a couple minutes. It may not be possible to get up every time the alarm goes off, but it will make you realise how long you’ve been sitting.

• Every hour, take 30 seconds to stretch and touch your toes.

• It’s tempting to sit and relax on your lunch break, but a short walk would be better. It doesn’t have to be far, and you could invite co-workers and make a routine of it.

• Sit on a balance ball for part of the day. By sitting on a balance ball (as opposed to an office chair), you’ll need to use your core muscles to sit straight. This helps to strengthen your abdominal muscles and helps your posture too - all while sitting and doing your work!

• Skip the lift and use the stairs to work in some extra exercise.

• It’s easy to become dehydrated when you work behind a desk all day and you should be drinking approximately 8 glasses of water every day in order to stay healthy. Drinking enough water will also mean more bathroom breaks which means more getting up and walking.

• Eat your lunch away from your desk – it might be tempting to eat as you work, but if you take a break, you will be more aware of what you are eating and less likely to snack later in the day.  

• When you are sitting, the seat height of your chair should let you rest your forearms on your desk at about 90 degrees.  

• Keep your feet flat on the floor and try to avoid crossing your legs.  

• The backrest of the chair should support your lower back, so your spine stays in contact with the back of the seat.  

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