Sitting Really is “The New Smoking”

Have an office desk job? Feel low energy much of the day? Does work take up the

majority of your time? How is your general health and level of fatigue?

Congratulations, you are amongst thousands of workers whose jobs force them into

sedentary positions for hours at a time. As a counselor, ( and other counselors and

therapists can likely relate) we spend hours on our rumps as we listen to clients in our

quest to be present and engaged in the therapeutic alliance for the client’s benefit.

Whether we’re on our computers, slogging through a long to do list of admin tasks, or

listening to someone else’s mental / emotional challenges, the body registers prolonged

sitting all the same.

Sitting on our butts zaps us of energy, circulation, vitality and is also bad for our brains.

Our brains thrive with movement as movement increases circulation, circulation means

increased blood flow to our brain which also brings fresh oxygen and nutrients to command central. See the cascade of positive effects? Now imagine we are sitting on

our hineys day after day? The more we sit and the more weeks and months that go by,

we may notice joint stiffness and pain, weight gain from not burning off more calories,

and a whole cascade of unwanted consequences.

Simply put, prolonged sitting is bad for our health on so many levels, and incompatible

with feeling good in our body, having great mobility in our joints, and having decently

good energy, focus and brain function.

While you may already have been aware of some or all of this… consider the impact on your overall health present and future. What does future you desire for your health and wellbeing?

Perhaps you are someone who has thought about this many times but felt helpless to change it. “But I have a job that requires a lot of sitting”, you might say… “what can I possible do to make this different?” If that is a thought you’ve had before, then keep reading:

Here’s some ideas for you.

1. Set an alarm on your phone every 50 minutes and get up! You can move away from your desk, your chair and your screens, go splash water on your face, take a 5 minute walk around your office space, around the building or wherever you can. Doing squats, or pushups in the breakroom can work too!

2. Use lunch time for eating and moving. If you have an hour lunch break, use 20 minutes for a healthy meal and 30 minutes for walking outside. Lots of rain where you are? Bring raincoat and some rain boots you keep at work. Rain or shine, your body needs movement.

3. Hit the gym regularly. This will make a big difference for your heart, brain and overall health. Moving your body regularly with both cardio as well as weight bearing exercises is a way to both feel strong in your body and keep it in good working order staving off sickness and disease as long as possible.

4. Consider more mini breaks. Take 2-3 minutes consistently throughout your work day to just pause, breathe and move. Arrange your work area if possible so it’s not too convenient- where you have to get up to go get the copies off the copier for example. Use these breaks to hydrate as well.

5. Create more opportunities to stand throughout the day. Have a meeting? Can you start it by standing vs. sitting? Might you get a stand up desk and alternate sitting and standing throughout the day? Get creative to get more standing and more movement throughout your day.

6. Start a walking group with your staff, team or coworkers. Whether more people are available in the morning before work, at lunch or immediately after work, do a casual survey and find out who would also be interested in having a buddy ( or ten) to walk with daily.

As someone who works out in a myriad of ways, I cannot imagine my life, body, or energy if I did not move as much as I do. I have experienced an occasional decline in my mental health and energy in the rare circumstances ( usually travel or illness) that has prevented me from working out.

In addition to the physical benefits of moving daily, the mental /emotional health benefits are off the charts.

Make a plan and include a friend, sweetie, family member or coworker for encouragement and accountability.

Feeling good and strong in the one and only body and brain you have matters. Your wellbeing and mental health matters. And it’s never too late to begin. Ensure your workout plan is realistic and seek help from a trained professional, coach or trainer if needed. If you are older or already dealing with health issues, check with your physician to ensure you won’t be over exerting as you begin to make physical movement and getting off your butt a priority.