Let us start with a riddle. Can you guess what this is?
It reduces heart activity and blood flow, thus making us more prone to injuries and at the same time constantly tired. It contributes to the growing incidence of type 2 diabetes and even cancer. It impacts the spine and joints, leading to inflammation and degeneration. It also is bad for legs, causing swelling and varicose veins. In addition, it lowers the metabolism, slows digestion and makes us more likely to suffer from bloating and constipation, and the excess kilograms “appear out of nowhere”.
Do you know what this is? All these symptoms and risks are not associated with a particular condition, but judging by the consequences the culprit certainly looks like one. But no, the answer is: a sedentary lifestyle.
Experts have been warning us that constant sitting is detrimental to our bodies. However, our civilization continues to favour this position. We spend most of the day behind a desk, only to move to the couch in our living room after work. Even though this body posture may seem comfortable, it is definitely not beneficial for our body. Our species has been designed to keep moving, and our yearning for comfort will not change it.
Office environment that is good for your health
Good to know, but what should we do about it? Hardly anyone can quit a job right away only because it requires them to sit for long hours. All the more so because it is difficult to find an alternative in many sectors. Do we really have to choose between a career and a good health? Not necessarily.
Many solutions are emerging that make office work less of a strain on the body than it was not so long ago. Some employers choose to provide e.g. adjustable desks at which you can complete some tasks in a standing position, or hold standing meetings where the tasks for the day are discussed by people simply standing up. This is generally a good direction because it lies in our best interest to change the body position as frequently as possible. If we have a possibility to temporarily sit in a different chair which will force our body to change its position, it will be a relief for our muscles and spine.
How do you incorporate physical activity into your office routine?
Let us try to include physical activity whenever and wherever we can. If possible, we should walk to the office (at least part of the route), use stairs not the lift, go to the kitchen or toilet which is further away from our desk, and last but not least make sure to train everyday before or after work.
Some companies make it easier for employees by creating in-house exercise rooms or providing amenities for people who come to the office by bike (and want to take a shower before starting work). It is also common practice to finance or co-finance cards for employees to let them use gyms, swimming pools and other sports facilities (such as our MultiSport card). Even though sitting will remain bad for our health, an athletic and healthy body will be able to better cope with the risks associated with this position.
A break for a good health – 15 minutes of physical activity
What else can we do to stay more healthy at work? Make use of your rights under the labour law. According to the law, we have the right to take one 15-minute break during an 8-hour working day. This is not much, but enough to get moving. Of course, there is no point in starting an intensive workout during a break of short duration. Stretching exercises are quite another thing. Here are some of them:
- Stand up, lift your arms straight above your head, and stand on your toes. When exhaling, lower your heels and arms. When inhaling, lift them again.
- Do a few repetitions, finishing with your heels on the floor but your arms stretched upwards. Interlock your fingers, turning the palms of your hands towards the ceiling, and hold this position while slowly breathing in and out.
- Do a bend, keeping your fingers interlocked and your shoulder blades pulled down. Keep your chin up. Remain in the position for a good while.
- Now straighten up and lift your straight arms above your head again. Catch the right wrist with your left hand and bend to the left. Keep this position for a while, and do the same exercise with the left wrist, and bend to the right.
- Time to slightly bend your knees, lower your arms and twist your torso while at the same time swinging your arms to one side and then to the other. You may also perform body twists with your arms akimbo.
- If you have enough space, spread your feet apart as much as possible, touch the floor with one hand (on the spine line) and lift the other hand as high as possible.
- Now put your hands together at the level of your heart and, still with your feet apart, bend your knees. Make sure the feet face the same direction as the knees. Deepen the squat for a moment, then straighten your legs and lift your arms high above your head.
These are a few examples of stretching exercises (you will find more HERE). You can also perform the routine you always do when finishing group activities at your favourite sports club (you can find a list of activities available with MultiSport card HERE). Once you finish these exercises, you can go back to your work duties – no shower or extra time to relax will be necessary.
What if you cannot spare even 15 minutes or prefer to use the break to have a meal? You can still choose to do at least some of these exercises, for example when waiting for others to join a meeting or talking on the phone. It is also beneficial to bring small dumbbells to the office to do a little bit of exercising when performing tasks that do not require typing.
Sometimes small things can yield spectacular results. If we include physical activity into the office routine and ensure we get a good amount of it after work, as well as ensure a comfortable workplace where we spend most of our time, we may manage to alleviate the 'side effects' of remaining in a sitting position. A more flexible spine and joints, and better health will be our reward, leading to and increased productivity which will be appreciated by our employer. We can go as far as saying that this is the best thing for everyone.