Our bodies were made to move, and when we move more, we are healthier. Unfortunately, our information economy demands that most of us work at desks, where we sit for long hours every day. To make up for all this inactivity, many have taken up exercise regimens or active hobbies. However, sitting too long can be deadly, even for those with a very active lifestyle.
A recent study of more than 100,000 American men and women over a fourteen-year period found that mortality increased with the time one spent sitting. Surprisingly, regular exercise did not change this result. Even for avid runners, cyclists, swimmers, and walkers, sitting more often meant earlier death, regardless of their activity levels. An Australian study of over 200,000 found the same result. Sitting is deadly, even if one is active.
This means that someone who sits at work all day and then hits the gym hard at night is still at higher risk of debilitating illness and death. Although exercise is good, it is not enough to counteract the very bad results of spending too much time sitting. Sitting, like other habits harmful to health, should be reduced.
Unfortunately, most of us have jobs that require us to spend a lot of time sitting down. We sit at our computers, except when we’re sitting in a meeting. We sit in cars or public transportation while traveling to and from work. We sit down to eat and then we sit down to relax, especially if we are relaxing with a computer or a television.
All that time sitting is more than a few hours of exercise each week can make up for. What is needed is to be more active throughout the day. So instead of sitting down to work or relax, one should be more active even while doing traditional sitting activities.
One of the easiest ways to reduce the time you spend sitting is to simply stand at work. Standing desks have been available for many years and are well accepted in the workplace. Some cubicles are even designed to allow the work surface to be placed in a standing desk. Standing up is also very natural and requires almost no training.
A regular sitting desk can also be easily converted into a standing desk. A simple frame or a couple of support blocks with a board on top will raise your work surface enough to stand on while working. The monitor can also be raised, often by placing it on the same table top. Commercial standing desks are also available. They are usually easily adjusted from standing to sitting height, so one has the option to sit when tired.
You don’t have to stay long to make a significant profit. Another Australian study found that increasing movement pauses when one would be sitting significantly mitigated the damaging effects of sitting. So even if you’re active, it’s also important to reduce the time you spend sitting.