Staying active is paramount to your overall health and wellbeing. In any case, the human body is wired to be in an active state most of the time. However, following advancements in technology, we can now rest easy and allow tech devices to do everyday tasks for us.
As much as technology has created easier ways of doing things, we now tend to move less often, and this inactive lifestyle comes with great health risks. In this post, we examine some of the major risks this might cause and how to correct them.
Active Lifestyle vs. Inactive Lifestyle
On average, we spend more than 10 hours a day sitting in the office. According to various studies, this can cause serious health risks. Sitting for more than 4 hours can cause increased blood pressure, increased insulin, disrupted blood sugar levels, and reduced calorie-burning. A state of inactiveness can also cause severe health problems such as heart disease, obesity, back, neck and shoulder pain.
Adding a few physical activities to your daily life can help combat most, if not all, of these health risks. The best part is that these activities do not have to be strenuous. You can start by moving around more at your workplace, stretching and practicing desk exercises in between tasks. These movements will go a long way to break the sedentary cycle and stretch out your back, neck and shoulder muscles after long hours of inactivity sitting behind your desk.
Office Ergonomics
You may not know this, but your desk setup might affect your physical health in the long-term. As you get used to working in the same environment for months or years, you are likely to take up bad sitting habits. To prevent any potential harm to your health, you have to make vital adjustments to your office setup based on your height, reach, needs and underlying ailments.
The first step entails adjusting the height and back support of your chair. The essence of this is to ensure you are sitting up straight and your eyes are in line with the screen to relieve pressure on your back and spine. You should also adjust your armrests so your shoulders are lifted to prevent tension in your neck and shoulders. Make sure your most frequently used items are within reach to stop you from overreaching.
If these steps are not as effective in relieving back pain as desired, you can take extra measures by investing in a few accessories such as an adjustable desk, a monitor or laptop stand and a new pair of glasses. These items will enable you to change from sitting to standing positions seamlessly without disrupting your work. They will also help keep your screens in sightline and prevent slouching. With a new pair of eyeglasses, you do not have to hunch forward to get a closer look.
Embrace a Regular Exercise Routine
Never underestimate the power of exercising regularly. Having a regular workout routine can go a long way to alleviate and prevent back pain while sitting at the office. Stretching out, practicing desk exercises and proper office ergonomics.