As more & more of us lead an ever increasingly sedentary life, research is now emerging that points towards how this can affect our health.
With office based employment & home based working patterns on the rise & an ever increasing reliance on screen time for work, socialisation & down time; the human need to physically move & stay active is being hampered. With longer working days generally involving sitting to get to work, sitting at work, on the way home & then again to relax of evening; sedentary behaviours have become intrinsic to a modern lifestyle.
However, according the British Heart Foundation (BHF), increased sedentary behaviour can increase our risks of diabetes & cardiovascular disease; even if we remain active beyond our working days.
‘Research into current levels of sedentary behaviour is limited, but we know that adults of working age in England average about 9.5 hours per day of sedentary time. Between the ages of 65 and 74, sedentary time in both men and women increases to 10 hours per day or more. By age 75+, people are sedentary for 11 hours per day.’ (1)
Despite the difficulties we all face with ever increasing work expectations, the BHF are realistic. “We are not saying you mustn’t sit down – that would be nonsense. But when you are sitting down for long periods, try to break it up. A common sense rule of thumb is to get up for five minutes every half hour.” Professor Stuart Biddle, Professor of Physical Activity and Health, based until recently at the BHF National Centre in Loughborough (1)
With this in mind & us all understanding we need to be more active, in particular to protect our heart health; what options are available to us if we are literally stuck in offices, up against deadlines, meetings, on trains or in our cars for in excess of 9 hours per day?
Here are some ideas based on the some of the advise from the BHF, collated from the BBC ‘Easy Ways to Live Well’(2) & personal knowledge from extended reading for how to combat sedentary behaviour at work or your home based office.
Reduce screen time & have regular ‘screen breaks’
Ensuring you are stepping away from your screen & or mobile phone during the day, will give your brain a chance to relax & in doing so reduce your stress levels. By moving around & or simply engaging in a conversation with a colleague, you could help reduce your stress levels & in doing so help protect your heart health.
Build in regular breaks in your day which involve moving away from your desk.
Any movement during the day will get your heart pumping & in doing so help you to combat sedentary behaviours. Even if you do not have access to an outdoor area; the simple act of movement will boost your energy levels & help you be more productive when you return to your work. Even if it is to walk up & down a flight of stairs, a walk around the office or if possible getting outside for a few minutes; all of these simple activities, undertaken regularly, can all help
Standing at your desk – Standing desks & their benefits. (1)
Standing desks are becoming more popular, based on the health benefits they bring.
Professor Biddle suggests that workers consider whether they have to sit at their desks. “You can buy standing desks, which are getting cheaper, but you can also do things like putting a laptop on a box on your desk, so it is at standing height. If you use an iPad, you could put it on a filing cabinet and stand up to use it.”(1)
Some studies have shown that standing desks can help reduce sugar levels after eating, faster than sitting. There have also been some studies show a small increase in calories burnt using a standing desk. Posture & the simple movements & fidgets associated with standing to work, have also been shown to have increased health benefits. However, extensive studies in to the long term health benefits of standing desks are not currently available.
Have walking or standing meetings in the office. (2)
Walking meetings can help with productivity, as they give you an opportunity to raise your heart rate & therefore improve your circulation & brain function. This natural boost can help with mental processing abilities & can also give those in walking meetings a better perspective & insights of what is going on outside or in other areas of the workplace.
If meetings can be taken outside in the fresh air, this is even better as some studies are proving that being outdoors, especially in a leafy park & or a roof top garden; can improve mental & physical health.
If you need to speak to a colleague, don’t email them, get up & go & find them. (2)
This activity speaks for itself. We are aware that it is not always practical in a global working environment. However, if you are within walking distance of a colleague, then this not only helps boost your steps per day, get your heart rate up; but it also helps with personal interaction, proven to help reduce stress levels & boost productivity.
If you work from home & have a home based business; you could use ‘Fitness Cards’ to give you an incentive to move.
Packets of ‘Get Fit’ or ‘Yoga’ cards are readily available & are as big as a deck of cards, so can fit in a bag or drawer. Each card has a different exercise & the premise is that you shuffle the cards, pick at least three & undertake the exercises they describe. The element of surprise keeps the exercises in rotation & can therefore help avoid the boredom of repetition.
Avoiding snacking at a desk.
There have been many studies to prove that sitting for prolonged periods of time & having access to snacks, sweets & carbonated drinks; can have a detrimental affect on health. Increases of Type 2 diabetes & cardiovascular disease, often go hand in hand with increased obesity levels & these can be increased by over eating unnecessary calories, which are not burnt off due to sedentary behaviours.
Ensuring a work space is free of non essential snacks, can help to curtail snacking, consuming unnecessary calories & avoid the need for that ‘sweet’ hit to get workers through the day.
Drinking plenty of water, fruit tea & limiting caffeinated drinks can help improve focus & keep workers hydrated. Caffeinated drinks can give a caffeine hit to help in the short run, but they also can dehydrate you & when the human brain is dehydrated it can increase headaches & reduce concentration.
Furthermore, if you do feel the need to snack you can make the conscious effort to ensure that you have (as an example only) low sugar snacks such as fruits, vegetables or nut & seed based products. Creating a culture of non sweet treats in large offices is difficult, but it can be achieved if everyone is focusing on the same goal.
Sedentary behaviours will increase the more we are exposed to screen times, extended working patterns, shift working, deadlines & the race to be the best.
However, with an increasing strain being put on the NHS by cardiovascular disease, diabetes & obesity; it is essential that we all try to be more mindful of our sitting activities & make sure we build coping strategies in to our working days as often as we can.
Written by Katy-Jane for & on behalf of Virtually Smart Ltd.
The ideas herein are merely suggestions of how to move more in a sedentary environment. Virtually Smart Ltd are not health professionals & should you feel your health is being affected by sedentary behaviours, please do contact your health professional.
- https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/activity/sitting-down
- https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000dlx2
