Your health can be harmed by a sedentary lifestyle. You are more likely to live a long and healthy life if you spend less time sitting or lying down throughout the day.
Moving around or standing during the day (or use an adjustable standing desk if you work in an office environment) lowers your risk of premature death compared to sitting at a desk. People who live sedentary lifestyles are more likely to be overweight, develop type 2 diabetes or heart disease, and suffer from depression and anxiety.
About 24,000 Australians die from smoking every year. In addition to cancers and heart diseases and strokes, smoking can cause chest and lung illnesses, as well as stomach ulcers. However, more than 50,000 Australians die prematurely from obesity-related diseases each year, or 140 people every day.
Just How Sedentary Are Australians?
The Australian population is too sedentary for numerous reasons, such as ill-health, injuries, and not enough time. Australian Bureau of Statistics and Australian Institute of Health and Welfare research found that:
- Physical activity guidelines are not met by more than half of adults (55 percent).
- A significant portion (44 percent) of working-age adults spend much of their workday sitting down
- Diabetes, bowel cancer, uterine cancer, dementia, breast cancer, cardiovascular disease, and stroke are among the diseases most closely linked to physical inactivity.
Active participation has been made more difficult by COVID-19, especially for organized sports. Australians have had to adjust how and how often they exercise due to health concerns and restrictions such as school closings, gym closures, and lockdowns. But as these restrictions ease, it is vital that Australians spend more time being active than sitting or lying down.
Simple Ways To Spend Less Time Sitting Down
It is recommended that we exercise regularly (at least 150 minutes every single week) and reduce the amount of time we spend seated. Sitting for long periods of time slows down the metabolism, affecting the body’s ability to balance blood sugar, blood pressure, and burn fat.
It is recommended that adults aged 19 to 64 sit less at work, while travelling, and at home throughout the day. A few suggestions include:
- If you take a bus or train to work, stand instead of being seated.
- Get off a stop earlier and walk the rest of the way to work or home.
- Walk up the stairs rather than using an escalator.
- Take a break every 30 minutes and try to take a short walk, even if it is just to get a drink of water or to go to the toilet.
- When on the phone, stand up or move around.
- While you are taking a coffee or tea break, take a walk.
- Instead of sending an email or making a call, walk to a colleague’s desk.
- Get up and do something active instead of watching TV.
How Standing Desks Are Good For Your Health
You need to reduce your sedentary habits if you work an office job (or work from home), where you spend most of the day hunched over a desk and in front of a computer. Because our bodies are designed to move, sitting for hours at a time is bad for our health.
A standing desk lets you work while on your feet. Fixed-height desks are fixed to your standing height. It’s possible to sit or stand whenever you want with a sit-stand desk that goes up and down. Powered sit-stand desks can be raised with the push of a button. The manual ones can be raised by hand or with a lever or crank.
Some people feel more productive when they work at a standing desk. Additionally, some find it easier to concentrate, which may be related to the link between being upright and the ability for your body to pump your blood around your body more easily.
Additionally, standing desk users report feeling more energetic, contributing to the quality and quantity of the work they are able to accomplish. People’s moods and mental health are also improved by standing, as standing leads to a rise in endorphins.
While a standing desk should not be viewed as a complete solution to your sedentary lifestyle, it is a great starting point and combined with regular exercise can make a real difference to your life.
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