How to protect your health by sitting in the office all day?
Sitting is bad for your health, and sitting for eight or more hours is even worse. The main consequences of sedentary work are back pain and being overweight. An uncomfortable work on a desk chair is to blame for some of the problems, there is an alternative to them, but modern ergonomic furniture is still expensive. So, if your employer isn’t willing to be generous, you’ll have to take matters into your own hands. Also, try to provide yourself with a desk lamp to keep your vision healthy and work always in good light.
Source of problems
Research in a wide variety of fields-from physiology and biomechanics to molecular biology shows that sedentary work threatens health. Of course, the spine suffers. When we sit, explains Andrew Hecht of Mount Sinai Medical Center, all the weight falls on the spine and pelvis, creating a lot of pressure on the intervertebral discs. Moreover, this happens even if you try to maintain the most correct posture.
But the changes are also happening on a more subtle level. According to Mark Hamilton, a microbiologist at the University of Missouri, when we stand or move slowly, we use special muscles. Our nervous system uses them for low-intensity activity, and they are very rich in enzymes. If you do not go into the scientific wilds, when we sit, the muscles are relaxed, and these enzymes work worse. As a result, in particular, the level of good cholesterol drops by 20%.
Harmful and useful chairs
The question of increasing the comfort of sedentary work was puzzled by furniture makers in the 1960s and 70s when they began to receive many complaints of back pain. It was believed that the main source of the problem was the lack of support at the level of the lumbar region. There are office chairs and special inserts that solve this problem. One thing that might help your back pain is investing in ergonomic desks, such as those seen at https://desky.ca, which are designed to fit each individual’s body characteristics and provide sufficient back support, thereby reducing the strain on the spine caused by sitting a long time during workdays. Having an ergonomic desk ensures a balanced posture, promoting better oxygen flow to every system in the body, which can prevent aches, pains, and even long-term injury associated with spinal compression or misalignment. But how much does it help the spine? Some researchers find even Herman Miller’s legendary Aeron chairs uncomfortable.
Scientific and design thought does not stand still. An alternative to traditional office chairs can be high chairs, similar to those that stand at the bar counters, where the weight is not only on the fifth point, but also on the legs, and the S-shape of the spine does not change.
A good option is a standing desk where you can work standing up, but a workplace combined with a simulator is generally a dream. This is also good for your back, and you lose weight, and they say you get used to walking during work in a couple of weeks. Also, a corner desk – designed to be placed in the corner of the room. Due to the rational use of corner space, such models are roomy and compact, which makes L-shaped computer desks an ideal option for small rooms. Unfortunately, you can’t put such a table anywhere, but in the corners, and it can be a little dark in the corners
In general, there is a choice. There is one, but very significant ” but ” – all this is not cheap. It is unlikely that employers will rush to change the furniture. So, you will have to take care of your health yourself: take breaks more often, walk and do exercises, for example, do yoga.
