Keeping fit: why move in the office?
When you’re in the office, you naturally tell yourself that you’re thereto work. This is true, but in this case you tend to think that moving will decrease your concentration and that your professional appearance may be affected. To date, a British scientific study(1) concludes that it is important to move in the office. This makes it possible to bettercombat the disadvantages of a sedentary lifestyle.
The study in detail
People who don’t move and sit in their office chairs are more likely todie earlythan those who keep busy. However, you probably think that being fidgety is a negative behavior that would play on concentration or that would denote a lack of politeness.
Admittedly, some questionnaires have been found to be affirmative on this subject. Yet, is it more important to keep yourself healthy or to look good in front of others? Janet Cade of the University of Leeds (UK) insists that we must persist in this way: move as often as possible. Researchers who tried to understand this phenomenon interviewed an English population, whose age was between 35 and 69 years.
The results found were based on medical follow-up focused on health and diet. A second questionnaire was given to these same people, asking them questions about their daily lifestyle, their sporting activity, any chronic diseases they might have and, again, their diet.
Finally, the last question was of course “Are you moving on your office chair or not?” In total, no less than 14,000 questionnaires were sent back to our researchers. The verdict is in: these people who did not move in their seats, during their seven hours of work, increased their risk of mortality by 30% compared to those who move regularly.
What can I say?
Yet, among those who don’t fidget, some exercise regularly and sleep eight hours a night. Nevertheless, during the day, they adopt the sitting and motionless position, for fifteen hours, which isnot good for the heart.
Getting up regularly is a matter of public health. What for? Because circulation is reactivated, your fat and calories are stored slower than if you don’t move. A few steps a day are enough to get you back in shape and avoid excess weight because of sugars or fats. However, it is not said to move all day or jump on your chair every quarter of an hour!
It is necessary to know how to show moderate gestures, normal activity and not to fall into exaggeration. Because of this, you can get up a few times a day, you can extend or fold your legs, you can also straighten your back, turn around to talk to your co-workers. In short, so many actions thatimprove your healthand comfort on a daily basis. Depending on your profession, pay attention to the dosage of fat and sugar, which must be a function of your energy expenditure!
In conclusion
While all this truth has been given by great researchers, scientists are calling for more research to be done. They will determine precisely why it is necessary to move regularly in your chair, what mechanisms are at work and what to do to always gain well-being, both in terms of health in general and weight and morale.
Stephen Paul is the lead author and founder of My Health Sponsor. Holder of a diploma in health and well-being coaching with more than 200 articles in the field of health, he makes it a point of honor to offer advice based on reliable information, based on scientific research, and verified by health professionals.