Sedentary Work Lifestyle - How This Is Putting You in Danger

For the average professional, “living your best life” can mean sitting behind a desk for days on end and achieving big wins without standing up for not more than a few minutes during their nine-to-five job. 

For most Australian businesses, work can mean being highly inactive for a significant amount of time because of the number of tasks that need to be done. In the case of rising businesses taking on more growth opportunities, employees can spend hours upon hours just sitting down and only cap off their workday during the early hours of the morning. 

Right now, many decision-makers and their dedicated teams see extended hours at work without leaving their desks as the new normal and catalyst for success. At one point or another, however, you may have heard sayings like “sitting is the new smoking” and “you can’t leave your desk until the job is finished if you want to succeed.” 

The problem with sitting around for long hours

While it may seem bold to spend extended hours behind a desk in hopes of grinding it all out for a lifetime of success, the repercussions may eventually make you think twice. 

You see, sedentary lifestyles are becoming a widespread phenomenon across all facets and sections of the Australian workforce to the point where many workers spend more time sitting than being awake. Although a select few may opt to go for “proactive” work settings, the reality is that too many workers are spending time in their chairs.

From tech startups with less than a dozen people to corporations and household names packed with employees, nearly every specialist, manager, and bottom line worker is at risk of sitting their life away. 

Suppose you’ve been managing a team for a while now or working extended periods. In that case, you may find yourself or your employees slowly deteriorating at a pace that they only should experience until many decades later. From aching backs to tiredness, the problem with sitting for hours on end is that it can lead to an array of complications that make it much harder to be productive.

What makes a sedentary lifestyle so harmful?

Generally, most decision-makers have become averse to sitting for extended periods because of its link to a more intense burnout over time and dwindling productivity. Although many may argue that there is no such thing as an employee that is addicted to sitting down for many hours a day throughout the year, the results couldn’t be any more different. 

Right now, you’ve probably dismissed the idea of taking a few standing or walking breaks in the office because it can take away valuable time that can be spent on more productive matters. However, it’s worth noting that the extra minutes of work that you “save” won’t yield much value because getting a task done early bears no weight compared to health problems. 

If you’re looking for a reason to take more standing and walking breaks during your work, here are a few health risks of a sedentary lifestyle that will get you moving: 

Sedentary lifestyle health risk #1: Cardiovascular disease

Among the different health risks of sitting for far too long and often, none are more threatening or impactful than picking up cardiovascular disease. 

According to a study by Warren, T. et al. called “Sedentary Behaviors Increase Risk of Cardiovascular Disease Mortality in Men”, sitting for long periods can lead to severe repercussions. Researchers discovered that sitting for as little as 23 hours a week in a stationary position (in this case, just being at work) can actually increase the risk of heart disease by 64 per cent!

Based on these findings, the heightened risk of cardiovascular disease is rooted in the uninterrupted sedentary time that causes an increase in the inflammatory response in the heart. Over time, this can cause problems with circulation, blood pressure, and vascular function, resulting in an increased likelihood of premature death. 

Thankfully, you can avoid putting your life at risk by opting to have more standing and walking breaks or opting to invest in one of Movi Workspace’s standing desks!

Sedentary lifestyle health risk #2: Musculoskeletal dysfunction

For most Australian professionals in any office setting, the feeling of having aged an entire decade after working for nearly less than a year is undoubtedly a sad experience. Well, this is no exaggeration for any reason at all. 

Traditional office settings and the inactive lifestyles that they require have gained much notoriety in recent years because of how closely linked they are to an early onset of musculoskeletal disorders. What this means is that living a sedentary lifestyle can lead to problems in the bones, joints, and connective tissues.

If you aren’t familiar with how sitting down for too long can affect your musculoskeletal system, then you’ve most likely felt the early onset signs. Generally, such problems are heavily linked to the non-ergonomic design of traditional workstations because of the same position they reinforce for extended periods. However, the main issue is rooted in the lack of movement incorporated in the everyday routine since the human body isn’t biologically wired to withstand prolonged static positions. 

Sedentary lifestyle health risk #3: Shorter life expectancy

You probably didn’t want to hear this considering that you’re currently spending more than 40 hours a week sitting down behind a desk, but here’s the truth: a sedentary lifestyle can end up killing you. 

Based on the findings of Owen, N. et al. in a study called "Too Much Sitting: The Population-Health Science of Sedentary Behavior", the reality of an inactive lifestyle and its link to shortened life spans is grim. 

According to the researchers, a study of 794,577 participants in the United Kingdom conducted across 180 reviews determined that sitting too long leads to a shorter life expectancy. Through the calculations from the study, the risk of early death associated with prolonged sitting was higher by 49 per cent for those who had a significantly higher sedentary time compared to those who had lower levels. 

The takeaway: if you want to live longer and ensure that you get to see the fruits of your hard work, then you’ll need to get moving and invest in an automated-lift standing desk from Movi Workspace!

Conclusion

While you probably think that different thrill-seeking activities can put your life in danger, the reality is that one of the most significant factors that can put your health at risk is the sedentary lifestyle you’re living. Hopefully, this article serves as a wake-up call that will make you realise that it’s time to start taking care of your health by being more active at work!

Making the transition from a sedentary lifestyle to an active one at work can be quite complicated at times, but having the best standing desk set-up in Australia can make a world of difference. At Movi Workspace, we help businesses keep their workforces in active shape with stand up workspace technology – visit our online store today to learn more about our products!