Ideas to get you up and on your feet at work

Prolonged sitting can be really bad for your health. According to The Australian Heart Foundation, the average adult is thought to sit for nine hours plus each day

Simply google sit less move more and your screen will be filled with numerous reasons to get up and moving. Lists of scary symptoms that can develop if we sit too much.

Writing for The US’s Mayo Clinic Dr Edward R. Laskowski, M.D. looked at 13 different studies conducted in this area. Concluding that those who sat for more than eight hours a day with no physical activity had a risk of dying similar to that posed by obesity and smoking.

This study also analysed data from more than 1 million people and found that 60 to 75 minutes of moderately intense physical activity a day countered the effects of too much sitting.

So what guidance can we follow?

One key thing to prioritise is how much sitting is too much and how we manage to implement the exercise required into our everyday lives. Laskowski has some simple ideas that include:

• Taking a break from sitting every 30 minutes

• Standing while you talk on the phone or watch television

• If you work at a desk, try a standing desk — or improvise with a high table or counter

• Walk with your colleagues for meetings rather than sitting in a conference room

Ideas for getting active at work

Further ideas for work placed activity are included on this great poster ‘On Your Feet Ideas’. It offers some fun ideas to get work colleagues together, working in teams to complete standing and walking challenges.

Why older people might find this more challenging

It’s easy to understand that as we become older the need for rest may increase, and the desire to slow down. The addition of health conditions such as arthritis and heart disease may occur. But it’s crucial to maintain movement to help delay or alleviate these conditions and maintain good health.

Sit Less, Move More, Feel Good is a programme aimed at those aged 60+ and recognises the problems faced by older adults in moving regularly. The programme is run by Glasgow University and consists of a short online training session for those working with or over 60 which then allows some specific resources to be downloaded.