The NHS published findings by Bazin from one of the largest studies in the UK. They found that of the 800,000 participants, people who spent all day sitting at a desk had:
- 112% increase in risk of diabetes
- 147% increase in cardiovascular events
- 90% increase in death caused by cardiovascular events
- 49% increase in death from any cause
With ⅘ adults working a desk job, the health risks are shocking for the majority of the UK. In response, official health guidelines have been released which suggest we should:
- Break up long periods of sitting time with shorter bouts of activity for one or two minutes
- Take an active break from sitting every 30 minutes
Now if you’re thinking, “I go to the gym every night so this doesn’t apply to me”, sadly you are mistaken. Unfortunately, even if you go for a run every morning and to the gym every evening, if you sit at a desk all day, you are still considered to have a sedentary lifestyle. Being active all day is now the focus of maintaining good health as well as regular exercise.
There are ways you can combat this, though. By being more active throughout the day you can improve your health and reduce the risk of developing conditions later in life.
How Can I Exercise While Sitting?
There are lots of ways to get some exercise and movement in, even if you are chained to your desk all day.
Chair Squat to Sit
Stand up off your chair, push it back slightly and then imagine you are sitting back down. Squat until your bum taps the seat and then stand back up. Keep your head lifted, back straight and try to keep your shoulders, hips and knees in line, parallel like train tracks. The sit to rising test is often used a quick judge of flexibility and it was found that people who could complete 10 reps lived longer than those who couldn't.
Turn and face away from your desk, place your palms on the desk and get ready to burn those triceps! Lower yourself by bending your arms until they reach a 90° angle and then drive up and extend your arms until they straighten. The further out you take your feet when you’re dipping, the harder the exercise becomes, as your triceps are forced to move more of your bodyweight.
Desk Push Ups
These are accessible to all, even if you can’t manage a regular push up. Place both hands on your desk and walk your feet back until your body reaches a 45° angle, try not to hunch over your shoulders or arch your back whilst bringing your chest down towards the desk and then driving back up.
Exercise At Your Desk
It's important to stay active as much as possible. At Sundried, we believe that being healthy is just as important as getting your work done. We have lots more articles on staying active at work with more exercise ideas and ways to make the most of your lunch break.