Sitting Has Become the New Smoking?

With so many Americans working from home these days due to the pandemic, many are finding their days go by in a blur.

We sit down at our workspace in the morning and stay there… for hours.

Without the office to commute to, there’s no going out to lunch with coworkers. No getting up from our desk for meetings in the conference room. No breaks in the kitchen.

Instead, we sit at our desks or whatever has become the home office, and stay.

Meetings are done by videoconference or on the phone. Lunch is at home.

As a result, our bodies are not moving.

And that’s a problem. 

Because sitting for extended periods of time has been linked to weight gain, cholesterol and blood pressure issues, increased risk of blood sugar issues, and even early death.

Our bodies need to move throughout the day to stay healthy.

Here’s how to make it work if you’re stuck working from home.

First thing you’ve got to do is make time for movement.

Block off 30-60 minutes on your daily schedule for some exercise.

Could be in the morning or mid-day. The time of day doesn’t really matter. It just needs to be a time you can stick to.

Use that time to go for a walk outside. Or, do a little at-home workout with some dumbbells. If you’ve got an exercise DVD you like, you can pop that in. The goal is to move your body for at least 30 minutes.

Now, moving just once a day isn’t going to cut it.

Throughout the day, you need to get up and move around, too.

Set an alarm on your phone as a reminder to get up each hour or two. Take a bathroom break. Get a glass of water. Put some laundry in the washing machine.

Really, anything that will get you up from that sitting position for a few minutes.

Do you have a lot of conference calls? Take the calls standing rather than sitting.

And if you’re really struggling with sitting for long periods of time, consider getting a standing desk.

A standing desk will not only greatly reduce your time sitting, it can also improve your posture, as you’re not slouched over your keyboard.

Regular movement not only helps reduce your risk of weight gain and other health issues, it also improves concentration, helps you sleep, and gives you an excuse for getting out of the house.

So, get up and get moving. Because sitting really has become the new smoking.