According to research conducted at the University of Otega, New Zealand, and published in “Sports Medicine,” sitting for too long in the office is not good for you.
Scientists recommend getting up for at least two minutes every half hour to lower blood sugar and fat levels. Office workers actually have to sit for so many hours a day, and this compromises health, increasing the likelihood of heart attack by 64 percent and shortening life by about 7 years.
“Most of us spend about 75 percent of our days sitting, and this behavior has been linked to increased rates of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, some cancers and mortality in general. We should all find ways to avoid sitting for too long and instead increase the amount of movement we do throughout the day. Even a few minutes but frequently.”
The team of researchers examined data collected in 44 international studies regarding the impact on metabolism and the vascular system when forced to sit for a long time. This showed that getting up at a regular pace reduces blood insulin concentration for up to 9 hours after a meal. The same applies to the amount of fat in the blood, but it would be reduced more slowly, from 12 to 16 hours later.
The researchers‘ advice, therefore, is to get up a couple of minutes every half hour to relax your muscles and take advantage of phone conversations to stretch your legs. Also, if you need to send work e-mails to colleagues in neighboring offices, it is best to do it in person. Just moving a little more can solve some health problems.
