Get the Truth About Sitting down at Work

Get the Truth About Sitting down at Work

Workers’ compensation claims filed in San Jose often involve work-related injuries like sprains, fractures, and repetitive strain injuries. You might assume that you’re relatively safe from work-related injuries if you sit at a desk all day, but in fact, sitting for hours on end can jeopardize your long-term health. “Sitting disease” may be far more prevalent than many other types of workplace injuries.

The Dangers of Physical Inactivity

Leading a physically inactive lifestyle has been clinically proven to result in a slew of health consequences. The bodies of people who are sedentary cannot process blood sugar and cholesterol well, which means they tend to have higher blood glucose and triglyceride levels, and lower levels of the good kind of cholesterol, HDL cholesterol. Sitting disease is even associated with the accumulation of calcium and fatty deposits inside the coronary arteries, which is a major cause of stroke and heart attacks. Sedentary individuals also have a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, cancer, and dementia, and of suffering cancer-related deaths.

The Truth About Exercise

Most people know that regular exercise is essential for good health. It’s been linked to a decreased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and obesity. Unfortunately, working out for an hour a day can’t reverse the effects of sitting disease. This is because prolonged periods of physical inactivity trigger adverse biochemical reactions in the body. In other words, the body needs frequent muscle contractions to keep itself healthy. Of course, you shouldn’t give up on your exercise program; working out is still beneficial. But if you want to prevent the consequences of sitting disease, additional steps are needed.

The Steps You Can Take

There are many small changes you can make to protect your health. Every 30 to 60 minutes, take some time to stand up, stretch, and walk around. If possible, walk up and down a flight of stairs a few times to get your blood flowing. If you have trouble remembering to get away from your desk regularly, you can set a reminder alert on your cell phone or turn on the hourly alarm on your watch. Consider investing in a stand-up desk. Some workers have even begun using treadmill desks to stay active while they complete their assignments.