Sitting and standing are the most habitual and visible behaviors we perform. We sit and stand in every aspect of our lives, from eating to working, on-screen time, and more. However, this is especially true of home-based sitting and standing, given the current stay-at-home recommendations.
Prolonged sitting at work or standing at work for an entire day is not recommended as it can contribute to a decline in physical and mental health. That’s why altering sitting and standing at work is important.
So do you suffer from back pain? Do you feel increasing or intense fatigue during the day? What about the lack of concentration? Here are some solid reasons why alternating between sitting and standing
necessary at work for fitness and productivity.
Enhanced Concentration
Our brain requires better blood circulation throughout our body to function properly. Prolonged sitting and standing put excessive pressure on our legs, causing the blood veins to stop working properly, called venous insufficiency. Our blood requires to flow from the feet to the heart.
When we sit or stand for long periods, this blood flow becomes blocked and pools in veins. However, the appropriate variation between sitting and standing while work ensures continuous blood flow throughout the body, including our brain, which gets a good supply of oxygen and works better.
When your brain functions better, you can experience enhanced concentration, which increases productivity. This way, you can also stay active at work.
No doubt sitting too much is very bad for our health. However, that doesn’t mean we should stand all day. Standing for a prolonged day can negatively affect our leg muscles and tendons and simultaneously on our creativity. It is necessary to alter between sitting and standing every 30 to 60 minutes. It helps to produce 2.5 times more creative ideas and keep us active at work.
Burn Additional Calories
Work usually takes up 8 hours of our entire day. Imagine how damaging sitting all day is to your health. It will only lead to more and more health issues and nothing else. After being so tired from work, most people disregard the idea of hitting the gym for a cardio session, so why not stay fit at work?
According to Harvard Health Publications, typing burns 41 calories per 1.5 hours, alternating between your standing and your sitting positions can help your heart pump blood 10 times more than it would normally.
However, another way to increase your calorie burn throughout the day and improve your overall health is to take frequent breaks to walk around. This is the best way to increase your physical activity at work.
Decreased Risk of Abnormal Joints Wearing
Crooked sitting and standing for an extended period can badly affect your posture. For instance, resting on one leg or side of your body leads to a hip strain. Our joints wear down naturally over time. However, if your posture is not even, more pain and issues tend to occur; that’s why altering sitting and standing at work is necessary to avoid abnormal joint wearing.
Improved Circulation & Digestion
You are more likely to develop diseases such as diabetes or heart-related issues if you sit for longer periods all day. The research conducted at Columbia University showed the negative impacts on your metabolism if you choose sitting at work for longer as an everyday regime.
If you’re compressing your vital organs, like the stomach or lungs, and putting pressure on blood vessels, those organs will not work as well! Healthy blood flow needs proper alignment and avoiding positions that cramp circulation.
So...
Now you know, leg discomfort, joint pain, and back pain have become an issue due to prolonged sitting, standing, and bad posture, especially in the COVID era. There’re some amazing gadgets to combat inactivity.
To keep yourself active at work while standing and sitting, you can also use the leg exerciser to stimulate movement and decrease your feet' possible chances to go numb. Similarly, to deal with back pain or soreness, you can go with a back hammock; it comes with an elastic adjustable band to provide good resistance and customizable strength for the back support.