The average American sits 8 hours per day – that’s way too much. And it could be lethal.
In a survey of 220,000 adults, those who sat for more than eight hours a day had a 15% greater risk of dying within three years than those who sat for fewer than four hours a day. People who sat for 11 hours or more a day had a 40% greater risk of early death (according to a March 2012 study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine). Of course, the study didn’t determine whether sitting in and of itself is deadly, or if the issue is that the more you sit the less you are moving. The latter is likely the culprit. Like all other animals in the kingdom, we are meant to MOVE. Motion is life. Movement feeds your brain with proprioceptive input, returns the blood in your legs back to your heart and can be the most effective way to de-stress your mind. Movement is a vital nutrient to your body.
In short, sitting is like sugar to your teeth, it causes ROT. So what can you do if you have a desk job? Here’s a quick run down:
- Trade your chair for a giant ball. The ball keeps your core engaged while you sit and causes you to be an “active sitter.”
- Set a timer for every 30 minutes… obey the alarm and get up and go for a walk.
- Commit to a stretch break at your desk. Need some ideas? See Sharyn or Lauren at the front desk for a copy of our desk stretches worksheet.
- Buy a standing work station! (Or better yet, have your boss by one.) Standing workstations are the new rage, and they are chiropractor approved if you ask us!
- Go all in – make your workstation into a treadmill! People really are doing it. Check it out! http://www.treaddesk.com/
If you’re not ready to change your workstation, at the very least be sure what you’ve got is ergonomically safe. Have your station evaluated by your workplace’s ergonomic specialist. Or take a photo of yourself sitting at your desk and bring it in to Crossroads. We’ll take a look and make suggestions J
Until next time, sit less and move more!
Dr. Stephanie