The impacts of sitting for long periods.

Consider the following…

In an average workday, how much time do you spend sitting down? Whilst the average Australian works a 40 hours week, you need to remember to factor in the time spent commuting to work either in a car or on public transport, (which in some cases can be an extra 1.5 hours – depending on traffic), sitting down to eat meals, laying on the couch to watch tv and using computers.  All in all, for some people this may average out to be approximately 77 hours, a staggering 46% of the week spent sitting down, and this is before we even factor in sleeping each night.

What are the health impacts?

So is your desk job trying to kill you? Inherently our bodies are not meant for sedentary work, they were meant for hunting and being mobile, therefore long periods of sitting down are disagreeable to our biological needs. According to Business Insider Australia, over time, sitting for long periods of time can contribute to the following:

• Elevated blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Cardiovascular disease
• Damage to the pancreas
• Muscle degeneration
• Weight gain
• Digestion problems
• Back and neck pain
• Varicose veins

Improving your sit/stand ratio, as directed by James A. Levine, M.D., Ph.D. of the Mayo Clinic

Regular Postural Breaks

Unfortunately an hour-long exercise session a day does little to counteract the effects of sitting down for over 8 hours a day. Coupling your daily exercise routine with intermittent breaks of activity during your working day can assist in minimising some of the previously mentioned side effects. Ideally, you want to take 5 to 10 minutes in each hour out of your chair and moving – whether this be to go and grab a cup of coffee, walking over to a co-worker instead of sending them an email, a walking meeting, visiting the photocopier, or eating your lunch whilst standing, whatever your work situation allows.

Consider your commute and increase the amount of time you spend standing before and after work by parking your car further away from the office or train station and walking the rest of the way, or if you use public transport try and stand for the duration of your journey to and from work. Also remember to take the stairs over elevators and escalators wherever possible – all activity counts! 

Upgrade Your Equipment!

Consider the equipment you use at work, in some cases you spend more time in it than your bed at home, so shouldn’t it be of a similar standard of quality? With the introduction of standing work stations and electronic desks, you can improve your sit/stand ratio with the flick of a button! Furthermore, ergonomic equipment is proven to increase productivity and morale and assists in decreasing postural problems that can be associated with sitting down for too long. If you believe that this equipment may be of use to you, or if you would like to improve your work station and ergonomic set up, please contact PeopleSense and we will be happy to assist you.

If you have any concerns related to your current work station or the amount of time you spend sitting down, contact PeopleSense on (08) 9388 9000 and we can talk about whether an ergonomic assessment at your workplace or home would be of benefit to you.