It’s pretty obvious that over the last few years people have become more health conscious. This is evident when thinking about the whole new world of wearable fitness solutions and apps for any type of workout you prefer. Not only is this changing the way we think about our health in general, it’s also changing how we think about our work.
New research has shown the cumulative impact of sitting at work all day year after year on our health and well-being. For those who have a typical 9 to 5 job sitting behind a desk and staring at a computer screen all day, recent findings seem to indicate potentially negative health effects, and there’s more than just one. To start with, staring at a screen all day can lead to a digital eye strain, or computer vision syndrome, with symptoms including a headache, eye ache, and blurry vision. This is due to the blue light that emits from our screens, which is essentially a high-energy light. Fortunately, with the growing number of people reporting digital eye strain, including 70% of millennials, Felix Gray has produced glasses that block this blue light. People are now wearing these when working in front of a screen to prevent these undesirable symptoms.
Additionally, James Levine, an endocrinologist at the Mayo Clinic, has done extensive research into the impact of sitting for long periods daily over many years. In addition to Dr. Levine, a growing body of research confirms that a sedentary lifestyle can be detrimental to your health.
Dr. Levine has been quoted as saying, “We need the default to be standing”, not sitting. Since this research has been published, many companies and professionals are moving towards the idea of a standing desk. The goal of a standing desk is to spend part of your day standing, increasing blood flow to your entire body and using muscles that are typically unused when sitting for long periods of time. Some standing desks are combined with a treadmill which keeps individuals moving throughout the day.
While most office jobs do not have standing desks, there are plenty of desks in other work areas such as industry where the employees are unintentually using stand up desks, there are normally computers around a factory that are on posts or on very small desks with no seats where employees go for process controls and/or data acquisition for short periods of time. Some of these industrial computers are fully customised specifically for the user’s needs. (You can visit http://www.cksglobal.net/product-category/industrial-pointing-devices/ for more infomation on industrail PCs and pointers) I think that offices around the country should take a note and start designing desk spaces specifically for individual employees that encourage good posture during office hours.
I’ve had a number of patients over the last few months ask me about the benefits of a standing desk. Depending on your current physical health, a standing desk may be a great option for those at risk for type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or long-term mortality risk. Any type of physical activity, which is more likely when you’re standing, can have a positive impact on your health. I’m encouraging my patients to learn more about standing desks and give them a try after completing a physical exam. Here are a few things to consider:
- Always place your standing desk at the right height to eliminate strain on the back, next, and shoulders
- Transition slowly to standing by gradually reducing the amount of time you spend sitting
- Record your progress in a daily log to track activity and stay encouraged
- Each week evaluate your progress towards your fitness and nutritional goals
Trying to become more active can be a challenge especially for those who work on a computer for long periods of time throughout the day. The standing desk is a great method for improving your activity level slowly over time. It does not however eliminate the need for regular exercise and maintaining a healthy diet. If you want to be and stay healthy, work with your healthcare practitioners for a customized program that meets your specific wellness needs. Thinking about a standing desk? Come visit Washington Wellness Center for a no-cost consultation to see if this is the right option for you. Contact Us.