Happy World Health Day! Here's How to Stay Healthy at the Office
Posted by Human Solution on Apr 7th 2015
Today is World Health Day and that means that everyone is focused on a wide range of issues that fall under the umbrella of "health." Everything from recipe ideas for healthier dinners to the future of medicine and disease prevention are being debated and discussed today. However, while we look at the broad range of health problems facing the world today, it's important not to ignore one crucial component of our overall health: staying healthy in the workplace. More than ever, several of the major health problems facing us today, from widespread obesity to increases in disease to even increases in pain and soreness, can be directly traced to how we work. So, for World Health Day, here's our advice on how to stay healthy at work.
Get a Standing Desk
Not to sound like broken records, but the fact is that study after study shows sitting all day is literally killing us. The 8-10 hours that we spend in a desk chair take their toll, leading to the spread of diabetes and heart disease, not to mention flagging energy and lower calorie burn. By standing for an hour, instead of sitting, you won't just fight off these diseases; you'll also burn 50 more calories!
Intuitively, we understand this. I know when I worked in a traditional office, I would contrive reasons to get up and walk around, even for 5-10 minutes, just to wake my body up. Fortunately, with my UPLIFT 900, I can get the jolts of movement and energy my body requires without cutting into my productivity. Standing while you work is also a great way to combat pain, especially soreness in the back or shoulders. You can even upgrade to a treadmill desk, for an active, healthy, and fuller workday.
Of course, not everyone is in a position where they can buy an entirely new desk. Fortunately, we've still got answers. From sit-stand converters that sit on your desktop, like the Innovative Winston, to monitor arms and keyboard trays, there are numerous ways to turn your workstation into a healthy one!
Sit Actively
I talk to a lot of people who experience back pain, neck pain, or shoulder soreness and are looking for a chair. And there are some great ergonomic chairs out there. But there are also other solutions, ones that fight pain and soreness through activity. In tandem with a standing desk, an active seating option, like the Humanscale Ballo or the Swopper, is a great way to make sure you get some activity and movement, even during those periods of the day when you're sitting. You can even use a chair like the Muvman, which goes from a traditional sitting height to a taller, perching height if you want to take a short break from standing without lowering your desk back down to a seated position.
Ergonomic Exercises and Quick Tips
While these are excellent long-term health solutions, there are also plenty of little things you can do to improve your health today. Taking a 10-15 minute ergo break, and performing some common desk exercises, can be a great way to give you an energy boost to charge you through the rest of the day. The Mayo Clinic's website has a great series of videos showing simple stretches you can perform to loosen your body and improve your energy. There are plenty of other hacks that you can use to introduce more movement into your day. By parking in a further parking spot than usual, or walking to lunch instead of driving, you can give your body some of the movement it so desperately craves.
Every day is Health Day with the healthy office products at TheHumanSolution.com.
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